NORTHERN IRELAND

Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission

Ian Cawsey: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the budget is for the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission for the financial year 2002–03.

Des Browne: The Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission has a budget of £1.2 million for the year 2002–03. The Northern Ireland Office will continue to consider seriously, against other pressures on its resources, bids for increased funding, provided they are supported by an appropriate business case.

Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission

Ian Cawsey: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he will publish the Government's response to the recommendations made by the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission under section 69(2) of the Northern Ireland Act 1998.

Des Browne: I have today laid copies of the Government's draft response in the Libraries of both Houses of Parliament. The Government are publishing the document for consultation to allow others to have their say. Comments are being sought by 16 August 2002.

Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission

Ian Cawsey: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what level of remuneration is paid to members of the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission; and what time commitment is required of them.

Des Browne: Part-time members of the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission are expected to spend four to five days each month on Commission duties. From the Commission's establishment in 1999, Commissioners have received £8,000 per year for this work. With effect from 1 April 2002, this rate will increase to £10,000 per year.

CHURCH COMMISSIONERS

Register of Interests

Norman Baker: To ask the hon. Member for Middlesbrough, representing the Church Commissioners, for what reason the register of interests relating to the Church Commissioners is not available for public inspection; and if he will make a statement

Stuart Bell: The Church Commissioners' Board of Governors introduced a register of interests in June 2000 in line with good practice. It is available for inspection on request by MPs, Government officials, members of the Church of England's General Synod and Commissioners and other committee members, reflecting the Commissioners' accountability to the Church and Parliament. Its operation and availability will stay under review.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

UNESCO

Tim Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development whether her Department takes the lead in policies connected with UK membership of UNESCO; and if she will make a statement concerning co-operation with other Government Departments in this matter.

Clare Short: My Department is the sponsoring Department for UK relations with UNESCO. It pays the UK's share of UNESCO's assessed budget. The Government's top priority for UNESCO is the achievement of the millennium development goals for education. We co-ordinate closely and regularly with other UK Government Departments and with the parallel Departments in the devolved Administrations with an interest in UNESCO's work.

Temporary Staff

Kevin McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the cost to her Department was of employing staff in (a) London and (b) the south east from employment agencies in each year since 1997.

Clare Short: The information is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Global Environmental Facility

Jenny Tonge: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much assistance the Government have given to the Global Environmental Facility in each of the last five years.

Clare Short: The UK has provided the following financial assistance to the Global Environmental Facility:
	
		
			  £ million 
		
		
			 1997–98 14.2 
			 1998–99 8.6 
			 1999–2000 10.92 
			 2000–01 14.58 
			 2001–02 18.42

Global Environmental Facility

Jenny Tonge: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development which countries have received assistance from the Global Environmental Facility in each of the last five years; and how much they received.

Clare Short: The figures are as follows:
	
		Global Environmental Facility grants to countries—financial year 1997 to financial year 2002 (partial) -- US$ million
		
			 Country 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 
		
		
			 Albania 0.096 — — 0.014 — 
			 Algeria 0.231 0.195 0.014 0.750 0.100 
			 Antigua and Barbuda 0.139 0.162 — 0.114 — 
			 Argentina 15.938 22.315 0.736 — — 
			 Armenia 0.175 — — — 0.243 
			 Azerbaijan — 7.192 — 0.098 0.351 
			 Bahamas 0.150 0.199 — — 0.290 
			 Bahrain — 0.335 — — — 
			 Bangladesh — 12.200 5.175 5.799 — 
			 Barbados 0.144 0.189 — — — 
			 Belarus — 0.081 — — 0.496 
			 Belize 0.185 0.169 6.860 — 0.832 
			 Benin — 6.492 1.235 6.295 0.302 
			 Bhutan 1.614 — — — — 
			 Bolivia 4.446 — 15.739 0.100 — 
			 Botswana — — — — 0.359 
			 Brazil 40.943 20.000 11.386 49.932 0.750 
			 Bulgaria 2.596 — 0.155 — 0.250 
			 Burkina Faso 0.473 0.014 — — 18.980 
			 Burundi — — 0.549 0.011 0.119 
			 Cambodia 0.325 0.350 2.750 — 6.080 
			 Cameroon 0.300 0.278 — 1.000 — 
			 Cape Verde 0.527 4.944 — — 0.120 
			 Central African Republic 0.165 0.350 — 0.014 0.271 
			 Chad 0.243 — 0.014 0.100 — 
			 Chile 0.350 — — 0.271 18.247 
			 China 31.611 45.590 20.776 28.600 87.120 
			 Colombia 0.253 — 1.095 25.725 4.775 
			 Comoros 0.132 — 0.324 — — 
			 Congo 0.248 — 0.333 — — 
			 Congo DR 0.677 6.332 0.013 — — 
			 Cook Islands — — 0.204 — — 
			 Costa Rica 7.479 — — 9.080 0.750 
			 Cote d'Ivoire 0.238 0.341 17.695 — 0.095 
			 Croatia 0.102 0.346 0.750 — 11.675 
			 Cuba 0.206 — 4.043 13.265 0.192 
			 Czech Republic 5.092 0.101 0.448 — — 
			 Djibouti — — 0.310 — — 
			 Dominica — 0.265 0.007 — — 
			 Dominican Republic — 0.230 0.350 — — 
			 Ecuador — 0.289 1.905 19.675 12.230 
			 Egypt 0.288 0.014 — 5.084 7.365 
			 El Salvador 0.518 0.750 — 0.100 0.225 
			 Equatorial Guinea 0.296 — — — — 
			 Eritrea 5.565 — — — — 
			 Estonia 0.166 — — — 1.203 
			 Ethiopia 0.213 — 2.242 — — 
			 Fiji 0.198 — 0.766 — — 
			 Gabon — 0.245 0.319 — — 
			 Gambia 0.381 0.014 — — 0.193 
			 Georgia 0.445 — 12.850 0.850 — 
			 Ghana 2.531 9.020 — 8.450 0.100 
			 Grenada — 0.134 0.184 0.748 — 
			 Guatemala 0.541 — — 1.156 8.350 
			 Guinea 0.346 — — 2.000 — 
			 Guinea-Bissau 0.541 — — — 0.014 
			 Guyana 6.326 0.279 — — — 
			 Haiti — 0.612 — — — 
			 Honduras 7.625 0.250 — — 0.100 
			 Hungary 0.166 6.057 — 2.500 4.200 
			 India — 15.183 7.868 6.213 8.320 
			 Indonesia 12.280 0.228 6.010 11.181 0.832 
			 Iran 0.700 — — — 1.500 
			 Jamaica — 0.426 — — — 
			 Jordan 1.949 0.088 — — — 
			 Kazakhstan — — — 8.500 8.847 
			 Kenya 0.157 — 3.366 1.500 — 
			 Kiribati — 0.199 — 0.013 — 
			 Korea DPR 0.453 — — 0.750 — 
			 Kyrgyzstan 0.108 — — — 0.332 
			 Lao PDR — 0.744 — — — 
			 Latvia 5.120 1.633 — — 0.957 
			 Lebanon 0.145 — 3.410 — 0.200 
			 Lesotho 0.464 2.507 — — 0.100 
			 Liberia — — — — — 
			 Libya — — — — 0.275 
			 Lithuania 0.225 4.645 — — 10.000 
			 Madagascar 20.825 0.010 0.350 — — 
			 Malawi 0.483 0.011 8.718 — — 
			 Malaysia 0.037 7.301 6.309 — 4.025 
			 Maldives 0.151 — — 0.012 — 
			 Mali 0.252 0.108 — — 0.100 
			 Malta — — — 0.265 — 
			 Marshall Islands 0.230 — — — — 
			 Mauritania 0.233 0.514 — — 0.148 
			 Mauritius 0.235 0.152 — 0.750 — 
			 Mexico 0.198 — 10.190 79.005 44.251 
			 Micronesia — — — 1.029 — 
			 Moldova — 0.450 — — 0.400 
			 Mongolia 0.033 5.160 0.334 0.750 1.898 
			 Morocco 0.191 10.364 46.865 4.509 — 
			 Mozambique 0.216 0.229 4.080 — — 
			 Namibia — — 0.242 — 2.703 
			 Nepal — 0.310 0.013 0.728 1.375 
			 Nicaragua 7.430 0.299 — 0.252 0.850 
			 Niger 0.230 0.357 — — 0.100 
			 Nigeria 0.260 0.314 — — 8.350 
			 Niue — 0.431 — — 0.114 
			 Oman — 0.266 — — — 
			 Pakistan — 11.176 8.374 — — 
			 Palau — — — — 0.309 
			 Panama 8.800 0.313 0.750 — 0.321 
			 Papua New Guinea — — 17.482 — — 
			 Paraguay — — 9.532 — — 
			 Peru — 4.378 17.070 — 1.884 
			 Philippines — 0.191 5.275 10.259 0.843 
			 Poland 0.205 0.011 8.400 11.184 1.975 
			 Romania 5.325 — — — 15.800 
			 Russian Federation 3.033 — 31.300 0.750 2.356 
			 Rwanda 0.171 0.014 — — 0.330 
			 Samoa — 0.172 0.925 — 0.014 
			 Sâo Tomé and Principe — — — 0.163 0.350 
			 Saudi Arabia — — — — — 
			 Senegal 0.205 0.078 — — 9.450 
			 Seychelles 0.436 0.750 — 0.747 0.100 
			 Sierra Leone 0.309 — — — 0.275 
			 Slovak Republic 0.077 — 2.200 0.750 — 
			 Slovenia — 0.434 4.398 — 0.095 
			 Solomon Islands 0.123 — 0.009 — — 
			 South Africa — 12.731 0.762 2.446 — 
			 Sri Lanka 5.025 — — 1.508 10.300 
			 St. Kitts and Nevis — 0.263 — — — 
			 St. Lucia — 0.340 — — 0.280 
			 St. Vincent and Grenadines 0.117 0.350 — — — 
			 Sudan 0.290 1.084 0.764 0.100 0.102 
			 Suriname 0.092 — 9.590 — — 
			 Swaziland 0.429 — — 0.014 — 
			 Syria 4.264 — 1.500 0.014 0.120 
			 Tajikistan — — — 0.327 1.182 
			 Tanzania — 0.254 — 2.363 — 
			 Thailand — 0.190 2.500 6.830 0.100 
			 The F.Y.R. of Macedonia — — 1.845 0.750 0.337 
			 Togo 0.338 — 1.135 0.239 0.100 
			 Tonga — — — 0.325 — 
			 Trinidad and Tobago 0.127 0.219 — 4.200 — 
			 Tunisia 0.089 0.710 4.360 — — 
			 Turkey — 8.550 — — — 
			 Turkmenistan 0.350 — 0.515 0.304 0.850 
			 Uganda 10.289 0.125 0.750 30.350 0.100 
			 Ukraine 23.000 13.570 — — 2.350 
			 Uruguay 2.621 — 0.014 1.596 — 
			 Uzbekistan 0.509 — 3.412 0.098 0.750 
			 Vanuatu 0.207 0.013 — — 0.132 
			 Venezuela 0.273 — 0.964 9.787 0.350 
			 Vietnam — 0.012 0.213 0.997 0.750 
			 Yemen 5.455 0.014 1.500 0.100 0.100 
			 Zambia 0.545 — — — — 
			 Zimbabwe 0.393 — — — 1.095 
			 Total 266.923 254.439 342.520 383.387 335.150 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. This list excludes the regional and global projects
	2. The GEF fiscal year ends 30 June

Water Conservation

Jenny Tonge: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much her Department has spent on research into innovative water technologies and water conservation techniques for the agriculture sector in the past five years; and if she will list each research project.

Clare Short: The Department for International Development funds a substantial programme of knowledge and research in water-related issues. Over the past five years £5 million has been allocated to innovative water technologies and water conservation techniques for the agricultural sector. Specific projects include:
	
		
			 Project title Research agency 
		
		
			 Smallholder irrigation in Africa International Programme on Technology and Research in Irrigation and Drainage 
			 Sustainability of modern irrigated agricultural systems HR Wallingford 
			 Technology transfer and sustainable rural development Silsoe College 
			 Aids to improved agricultural drainage HR Wallingford 
			 Fuzzy logic for water resource allocation Centre for Ecology and Hydrology 
			 Improved irrigation in peri-urban areas HR Wallingford 
			 Improved irrigation and drainage to save water HR Wallingford 
			 Low cost micro-irrigation technologies for the poor Intermediate Technology and Development Group 
			 Privatisation/transfer of irrigation management in central Asia Mott MacDonald 
			 Improving community spate irrigation systems HR Wallingford 
			 Achieving sustainable local management of irrigation water in water-short basins: South Africa case study International Water Management Institute

Water Conservation

Jenny Tonge: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what financial assistance her Department gave to (a) South Africa, (b) Uganda and (c) Nigeria for sustainable water supplies and sanitation systems in (i) 2000–01 and (ii) 2001–02.

Clare Short: In financial year 2000–01 the Department gave the following financial assistance for sustainable water supplies and sanitation systems:
	
		
			  £ 
		
		
			 (a) South Africa 1,503,450 
			 (b) Uganda (1)2,324,094 
			 (c) Nigeria 590,577 
		
	
	(1) Figure includes school sanitation component of an education project
	Expenditure figures for 2001–02 are not yet available.

Anti-corruption Bureaux

Jenny Tonge: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much assistance her Department provided in (a) 2000–01 and (b) 2001–02 to support anti-corruption bureaux in developing countries; and if she will list them.

Clare Short: Our planned and operational support for anti-corruption bureaux in developing countries in 2000–01 and 2001–02 using figures available from our central management information system includes the following:
	
		£ 
		
			  Planned commitment Expenditure 2000–01 Expenditure 2001–02 
		
		
			 Honduras 41,000 41,000 — 
			 Malawi 1,272,000 94,902 269,751 
			 Pakistan 431,000 — 168,000 
			 Sierra Leone 1,445,000 137,158 898,743 
			 Uganda 1,000,000 5,589 248,064 
			 Zambia 2,126,000 276,720 233,524 
			  
			 Total 6,315,000 555,369 1,818,082 
		
	
	We are also currently developing support to the new Independent Corrupt Practices Commission in Nigeria.
	Support for anti-corruption bureaux is normally only one part of wider programmes of activity to bear down on corruption.

Trade and Poverty Programme

Jenny Tonge: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will make a statement on the progress of the Africa trade and poverty programme.

Hilary Benn: The trade and poverty programme (TPP) aims to build capacity in sub-Saharan African countries and regional organisations for trade reforms which support poverty reduction. Detailed proposals for capacity building projects have been prepared in Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Malawi, Botswana and the East African community. The project design process has itself been contributing in these countries to better co-ordination between trade policy and poverty reduction and to building the national understanding and ownership of the projects which is vital for their success. Full implementation of these projects is expected to start in July 2002. DFID is also working on possible TPP projects with Lesotho, Mozambique, Zambia and the Southern African trade network and plans to make visits to assess interest in Nigeria in June and with the West African Economic and Monetary Union shortly after.

UNGASS

Jenny Tonge: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what her assessment was of the outcomes of the UN Special Session on Children (UNGASS) which took place in New York in May.

Clare Short: The UNGASS helped to raise the profile of child poverty and child rights issues. It provided an opportunity for the Chancellor of the Exchequer, the Minister for Children and Young People and the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for International Development to advocate UK views and network with others. But negotiations on the outcomes document were difficult. The outcomes document is good on HIV/AIDS, gender equality and education. But we were not able to secure optimal language on reproductive health and child rights in the face of strong American opposition. The language on reproductive health and child rights is acceptable and the best that could be agreed by all UN member states, but is not as strong as we would ideally have liked.

Sustainable Development

Jenny Tonge: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what progress has been made towards the implementation of national strategies for sustainable development for developing countries; and which countries have strategies in place.

Clare Short: DFID has been supporting the development of National Strategies for sustainable development (NSSDs) initially through working with colleagues at the OECD/DAC to produce policy guidance on this topic. This work has been taken up by the United Nations who have now developed their own policy guidance. This will be a priority issue at the World Summit on sustainable development later this year.
	One conclusion of work so far is that developing strategies is more of a process than preparing a document that sits on a shelf. Moreover, the label does not matter. If a national strategy adheres to an agreed set of principles or characteristics of strategic processes for sustainability, then that strategy in effect becomes a NSSD. In this way, poverty reduction strategies that exhibit these characteristics (such as the integration of environmental, economic and social considerations) can be considered NSSDs.
	As a consequence, it is not easy to quantify how many NSSDs are in place because they are identified by characteristics not labels.

Committee Mandates

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the mandate of the European Development Fund Committee is; how many times it has met over the last 12 months; what the UK representation on it is; what the annual cost of its work is to public funds; if she will list the items currently under its consideration; if she will take steps to increase its accountability and transparency to Parliament; and if she will make a statement.

Clare Short: The European Development Fund Committee (EDF) examines community aid for development co-operation in the ACP countries and the overseas countries and territories (OCT). EU-ACP co-operation is now governed by the Cotonou Agreement, signed in June 2000. The Cotonou Agreement's main objectives are the reduction and eventual eradication of poverty and the gradual integration of ACP countries into the global economy, while adhering to the aims of sustainable development.
	Article 21 of the Cotonou Agreement establishes the role of the EDF Committee. The Committee's tasks cover:
	(a) programming of community aid and programming reviews in particular focusing on country and regional strategies, including identification of projects and programmes;
	(b) participation in the decision-making process relating to financing from the European Development Fund; and
	(c) monitoring the implementation of community aid, including sectoral aspects, cross-cutting issues, and the functioning of field-level co-ordination.
	The Committee also examines the consistency and complementarity between EC aid and aid from the member states. In order to ensure transparency and consistency between co-operation operations and improve complementarity between community actions and member states' own bilateral programmes.
	In the past 12 months the Committee has met nine times. The United Kingdom is represented by officials from the Department for International Development. Travel costs for DFID officials to attend meetings of the Committee are met by the European Commission. Other costs incurred for attending this Committee totalled £2,800 in the past 12 months.
	Together with member states, the commission is currently conducting a review to bring existing legislation on the conduct of comitology committees into line with Council Decision 1999/468/EC, to
	"simplify the requirements for the exercise of implementing powers conferred on the Commission".
	As an obligation to this decision, the Commission undertook to publish an annual report on the working of committees. The first report was deposited in the Libraries of both Houses on 26 February 2002 (Com (2001) 783 Final).
	As part of the review process, the UK Government have encouraged the Commission to produce and maintain an electronic database of every comitology committee, its agendas and recent actions, to be accessible through its website.

Committee Mandates

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the mandate of the Advisory Committee on the Special System of Assistance to traditional ACP Suppliers of Bananas is; how many times it has met over the last 12 months; what the UK representation on it is; what the annual cost of its work is to public funds; if she will list the items currently under its consideration; if she will take steps to increase its accountability and transparency to Parliament; and if she will make a statement.

Clare Short: Council Regulation (EC) No. 856/1999 establishes a special framework of assistance (SFA) for traditional ACP suppliers of bananas. It was adopted on 22 April 1999. The Regulation provides for financial and technical assistance to 12 ACP countries, taking account of changes in the marketing arrangements for bananas in Europe following the amendments to the import regime introduced on 1 January 1999.
	A Commission decision fixing the amounts available in 1999 under the special framework of assistance for a total of 45 million euro was published on 30 September 1999. A second Commission decision was made on 18 July 2000 for the 2000 budget line (44.5 million euro).
	The overall objective of this programme of assistance is to improve competitiveness of traditional ACP banana production. The Council Regulation aims to achieve this goal by funding projects designed to increase banana productivity. Funding is also available for diversification where no opportunities for sustainable increase in banana production exists. The method for calculating eligibility for funds is based upon a competitivity gap formula.
	Commission Regulation (EC) No. 1609/1999 laying down the detailed rules for the implementation of the Council Regulation was adopted on 22 July 1999. Article 6 of this regulation states that the Commission will be assisted by the geographically determined committee competent for development. This role is taken by the European Development Fund Committee (EDF) sitting as the Advisory Committee on Special Systems of Assistance to traditional ACP suppliers of bananas.
	In the past 12 months this committee has met once. The United Kingdom is represented by officials from the Department for International Development. As matters for consideration of this committee are always scheduled within an existing EDF Committee meeting, no additional charge to public funds is incurred in connection with attending this committee.
	Together with member states, the Commission is currently conducting a review to bring existing legislation on the conduct of comitology committees into line with Council Decision 1999/468/EC, to
	"simplify the requirements for the exercise of implementing powers conferred on the Commission".
	As an obligation to this Decision, the commission undertook to publish an annual report on the working of committees. The first report was deposited in the Libraries of both Houses on 26 February 2002 (Com (2001) 783 Final).
	As part of the review process, the UK Government have encouraged the Commission to produce and maintain an electronic database of every comitology committee, its agendas and recent actions, to be accessible through its website.

Committee Mandates

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the mandate of the Committee on Food Security and Food Aid is; how many times it has met over the last 12 months; what the UK representation on it is; what the annual cost of its work is to public funds; if she will list the items currently under its consideration; if she will take steps to increase its accountability and transparency to Parliament; and if she will make a statement.

Clare Short: Council Regulation (EC) No. 1292/96 of 27 June 1996 establishes the framework for European Community food aid policy, management and food aid operations. Article 26 of the regulation states that the Commission shall be assisted by a Food and Security and Food Aid Committee composed of representatives of the member states chaired by a representative of the Commission.
	The committee is responsible for examining any implications for recipient countries of proposals to commit funds for food security, analysis and monitoring food security policies and examining proposals for joint initiatives with other Community instruments.
	In the past 12 months the committee has met three times. The United Kingdom is represented by officials from the Department for International Development. Travel costs for DFID officials to attend meetings of the committee are met by the European Commission. Other costs incurred for attending this committee totalled £420 in the past 12 months.
	The European Community's budget for food security and food aid operations in 2001 was 455 million euros and for 2002 has been set at 435 million euros. The United Kingdom's share of this is approximately 18 per cent. This figure includes the United Kingdom's mandatory contribution of £19 million under the terms of the 1999 Food Aid Convention.
	Food security and food aid operations are of three main types; dealing with immediate food shortages, longer term operations to support food security and operations to improve early warning systems and storage programmes. Areas to have recently experienced severe food shortages include Ecuador, DPR Korea, Georgia, West Bank and Gaza, Burkina Faso and Afghanistan.
	Together with member states, the Commission is currently conducting a review to bring existing legislation on the conduct of comitology committees into line with Council Decision 1999/468/EC, to
	"simplify the requirements for the exercise of implementing powers conferred on the Commission".
	As an obligation to this Decision, the Commission undertook to publish an annual report on the working of committees. The first report was deposited in the Libraries of both Houses on 26 February 2002 (Com(2201) 783 Final.
	As part of the review process, the UK Government have encouraged the Commission to produce and maintain an electronic database of every comitology committee, its agendas and recent actions, to be accessible through its website.

Committee Mandates

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the mandate of the Committee on Implementation of Humanitarian Aid Operations is; how many times it has met over the last 12 months; what the UK representation on it is; what the annual cost of its work is to public funds; if she will list the items currently under its consideration; if she will take steps to increase its accountability and transparency to Parliament; and if she will make a statement.

Clare Short: The European Union's mandate to The European Community Humanitarian Organisation (as set out in Regulation (CE) No. 1257/96) is to provide emergency assistance and relief to the victims of natural disasters or armed conflict outside the European Union.
	The Humanitarian Aid Committee (HAC) meets on average once a month, excluding August (and often December). In addition to this, each presidency usually holds an informal HAC to discuss issues of substance in more detail. Including both formal and informal HACs there have been 12 meetings over the last 12 months. The UK is represented by officials from the Conflict and Humanitarian Affairs Department, DFID. The annual cost to public funds of the Committee's work is approximately £5,000.
	Items due for discussion at the next HAC on 23 May include the Global Plan 2002 for Sahrawi Refugees in Algeria, a report on ECHO's recent evaluation of UNHCR activities, a report on the recent ECHO Mission to Zimbabwe, and the Commission's non-paper on the interplay between Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid in crisis situations.
	Together with member states, the Commission is currently conducting a review to bring existing legislation on the conduct of comitology committees into line with Council Decision 1999/468/EC, to
	"simplify the requirements for the exercise of implementing powers conferred on the Commission".
	As an obligation to this Decision, the Commission undertook to publish an annual report on the working of committees. The first report was deposited in the Libraries of both Houses on 26 February 2002 (Com (2001) 783 Final. As part of the review process, the UK Government have encouraged the Commission to produce and maintain an electronic database of every comitology committee, its agendas and recent actions, to be accessible through its website.

Committee Mandates

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the mandate of the Committee on Financial and Technical Assistance and Economic Co-Operation with Developing Countries in Asia and Latin America is; how many times it has met over the last 12 months; what the UK representation on it is; what the annual cost of its work is to public funds; if she will list the items currently under its consideration; if she will take steps to increase its accountability and transparency to Parliament; and if she will make a statement.

Clare Short: Council Regulation (EC) No. 443/92 25 February 1992 establishes the framework for European Community financial and technical assistance, and economic co-operation with the countries of Asia and Latin America. Article 15 of the regulation states that the Commission shall be assisted by a committee composed of representatives of the member states chaired by a representative of the Commission.
	The committee considers and delivers an opinion, by qualified majority voting, on development assistance financing proposals for country and regional strategies, projects and programmes in Asia and Latin America.
	In the past 12 months the committee has met 11 times. The United Kingdom is represented by officials from the Department for International Development. Travel costs for DFID officials to attend meetings of the committee are met by the European Commission. Other costs incurred for attending this committee totalled £1,800 in the past 12 months.
	EU development co-operation assistance in Asian has been focused on direct poverty reduction measures, for example through support for rural development, infrastructure and institutional capacity building. The environment sector has also received support with substantial programmes devoted to areas such as forest protection, biodiversity and environmental technology. The health and education sectors also feature significantly in EC efforts aimed at poverty reduction. Priority is given to the poorest populations, and to the poorer areas of developing countries, with a view to supporting economic activities that lead to sustainable development.
	Together with the member states, the Commission is currently conducting a review to bring existing legislation on the conduct of comitology committees into line with Council Decision 1999/468/EC, to
	"simplify the requirements for the exercise of implementing powers conferred on the Commission".
	As an obligation to this Decision, the Commission undertook to publish an annual report on the working of committees. The first report was deposited in the Libraries of both Houses on 26 February 2002 (Com (2001) 783 Final.
	As part of the review process, the UK Government have encouraged the Commission to produce and maintain an electronic database of every comitology committee, its agendas and recent actions, to be accessible through its website.

Committee Mandates

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the mandate of the MED Committee Financial and Technical co-operation between the Community and Mediterranean non-member countries is; how many times it has met over the last 12 months; what the UK representation on it is; what the annual cost of its work is to public funds; if she will list the items currently under its consideration; if she will take steps to increase its accountability and transparency to Parliament; and if she will make a statement.

Clare Short: Council Regulation (EC) No. 2698/2000 of 27 November 2000 amended an existing regulation setting out the terms of financial and technical measures to promote reform of economic and social structures in the framework of the Euro-Mediterranean partnership. Article 11 of the regulation establishes the roles of a management committee composed of representatives of the member states, the European Bank (EIB), chaired by a representative of the Commission.
	The priorities for MEDA resources are support for economic transition with the aim of wider implementation of free trade through increasing competitiveness with a view to achieving sustainable economic growth, particularly through development of the private sector; support to economic transition; and strengthening the socio-economic balance: the aim is to alleviate the short- term costs of economic transition through appropriate measures in the fields of social policy.
	The committee considers and delivers an opinion, by qualified majority voting, on development assistance financing proposals for country and regional strategies, projects and programmes in the MED region.
	In the past 12 months the committee has met eight times. The United Kingdom is represented by officials from the Department for International Development. Travel costs for DFID officials to attend meetings of the committee are met by the European Commission. Other costs incurred for attending this committee totalled £1,260 in the past 12 months.
	Together with the member states, the Commission is currently conducting a review to bring existing legislation on the conduct of comitology committees into line with Council Decision 1999/468/EC, to
	"simplify the requirements for the exercise of implementing powers conferred on the Commission".
	As an obligation to this Decision, the Commission undertook to publish an annual report on the working of committees. The first report was deposited in the Libraries of both Houses on 26 February 2002 (Com (2001) 783 Final.
	As part of the review process, the UK Government have encouraged the Commission to produce and maintain an electronic database of every comitology committee, its agendas and recent actions, to be accessible through its website.

Committee Mandates

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the mandate of the Committee on aid for Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and the former Yugoslavia Republic of Macedonia (CAROS) is; how many times it has met over the last 12 months; what the UK representation on it is; what the annual cost of its work is to public funds; if she will list the items currently under its consideration; if she will take steps to increase its accountability and transparency to Parliament; and if she will make a statement.

Clare Short: The mandate of the CARDS Committee is to oversee the implementation of Council Regulation 2666/2000 of 5 December 2000, which established CARDS. It determines the strategy framework for CARDS, and approves annual and multi-annual allocations to country and regional programmes.
	The committee has met eight times in the last year. The UK is represented by the Department for International Development (DFID) and the UK Permanent Representation to the European Commission.
	The annual cost to public funds of the committee's work principally comprises the work of DFID officials in assessing and discussing with the EC strategy and programme proposals, as well as the costs of attendance at meetings of the committee. The CARDS budget for 2001–06 is euro 4.65 billion, of which the UK's share is 18.8 per cent., or approximately £540 million. We do not keep records to show the proportion of staff time committed to CARDS.
	CARDS programmes or work related to them are subject to scrutiny by Select Committees of Parliament. Under Council Decision 1999/468/EC the EC has undertaken to publish an annual report on the working of committees. The first such report was deposited in the Libraries of both Houses on 26 February (Commission Document 5685/02). We have encouraged the EC to make available on its website a record of every comitology committee, its agendas and recent actions.

Timber (Departmental Refurbishment)

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will place in the Library certificates showing that timber used for the doors, doorframes and window frames in the refurbishment of her Department's buildings came from a certified, sustainable source.

Clare Short: Timber for the doors and doorframes (no wooden window frames were fitted) were supplied by Shadbolt and Sons. Shadbolts are founder members of the WWF 1995+ group, which is one of the groups listed under the current DEFRA guidance "Greening Government Operations—Green Guide for Buyers, Action Sheet on Wood". The group has the target to source all its timbers from sources with certified sustainable management, and works closely with the Forest Stewardship Council. DFID's requirement followed the BREEAM guidelines at the time, that softwood and temperate hardwoods were to be from sustainable sources, but certificates were not requested. The Sapele veneers used in this project were not certified as they came from existing stocks obtained in 1983, and were supplied with the consent of WWF.

EDUCATION AND SKILLS

Census Information

John Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, 
	(1)  pursuant to the answer given by the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department on 23 April 2002, Official Report, column 207W, what her estimate is of the number of History National Curriculum (Key Stages 2 to 5) schools with internet access to the website at http://www.learningcurve.pro.gov.uk/ FocusOn/census/;
	(2)  pursuant to the answer given by the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department on 23 April 2002, Official Report, column 207W, on census information, what action she has taken to protect the interests of History National Curriculum (Key Stages 2 to 5) pupils and teachers, following the provision of inaccurate information on the website at http://www.learningcurve.pro.gov.uk/ FocusOn/census/; and what action has been taken to ensure that recent amendments to the website meet the schools' requirements for information from the Public Record Office.

Ivan Lewis: We have supported £657 million of expenditure on ICT by schools between 1998 and 2002, with a further £710 million to follow between 2002 and 2004. This funding is intended to help schools to achieve the objectives agreed with their local education authority and set out in their Information and Communication Technology (ICT) development plan. We would expect these plans to address measures for connecting to the internet, so that schools can access the wealth of cultural, scientific and intellectual material to be found on the internet. The percentage of schools with internet connection was published in the Statistics of Education—Survey of Information and Communications Technology in Schools 2001; 97 per cent. of schools are connected to the internet.
	Producers of educational content are encouraged to link their resources to the National Grid for Learning (NGfL) portal. The sites on the NGfL portal are required to conform to a set of ground rules and a code of conduct. However, it is the responsibility of the site developers to ensure that their content is accurate. As with other forms of information media, the decision on which sites to use lies with schools.

Deaf Young People (Education)

Patsy Calton: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many deaf children were taught (a) with British sign language and (b) without access to British sign language in the last 12 months for which figures are available.

Ivan Lewis: The Department does not collect this information centrally. However, an interim report from the National Evaluation of Support Options for Deaf and Hearing-Impaired Children in 1999 suggests the following percentages of deaf children, with average hearing loss, born between 1980 and 1994 used British sign language within their education programmes:
	
		
			   Percentage 
		
		
			 Children with moderate deafness 2 
			 Children with severe deafness 5 
			   
			 Children with profound deafness  
			 Without a cochlear implant 20 
			 With a cochlear implant 5

Deaf Young People (Education)

Patsy Calton: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many and what percentage of profoundly deaf young people achieved (a) five A to C GCSE grades and (b) five A to G GCSE grades, broken down by local authority in the last four years.

Ivan Lewis: The Department currently does not collect this information centrally, though we shall shortly be consulting on whether and how data on different types of special educational needs could be collected. Subject to the outcome of this consultation, the data requested might be collected from January 2004.

Learning Partnerships

Karen Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will make a statement on the future of learning partnerships.

Margaret Hodge: In November 2001 the Government launched a consultation on the future role of learning partnerships. In the light of that consultation, I wrote to chairs of learning partnerships on 29 April 2002 setting out our future vision for partnerships and new funding and support arrangements. The Government believe learning partnerships have a key role in promoting provider collaboration to deliver better lifelong learning in local areas, and in working with a wide range of partners to maximise the contribution of learning to local regeneration. The Government also wish to see better links between learning partnerships and the Learning and Skills Council. From April 2003 funding for learning partnerships, currently channelled through Government Offices, will be directed through the Learning and Skills Council. I have placed a copy of my letter to chairs in the Libraries.

Teachers (Buckinghamshire)

Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many teachers were in service in Buckinghamshire in (a) January 2001 and (b) January 2002.

Stephen Timms: There were 4,020 full-time equivalent 1 teachers in service in the maintained schools sector in Buckinghamshire in January 2001.
	Data for January 2002 are not yet available at local education authority level. The number of all-time equivalent teachers in England increased by 9,400 between January 2001 and January 2002, the largest increase since the 1970s.
	Information on teachers in service in January 2002 by local education authority will be published in the Teachers in England statistical volume in December 2002.
	1 Part-time teachers have been converted to an estimate of their full-time equivalence and added to full-time numbers.

Ministerial Training

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how much has been spent by her Department on training by the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts for Ministers and officials in each of the last five years.

Ivan Lewis: holding answer 26 April 2002
	This Department has not delivered training by RADA.

Ministerial Training

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how much has been spent by his Department on training in leadership skills for Ministers and officials in each of the last five years.

Ivan Lewis: holding answer 26 April 2002
	The Department for Education and Skills are only able to provide information for the last three years. During that period the Learning Academy spent the following amounts on leadership training for officials:
	
		
			  £ 
		
		
			 1999–2000 40,900 
			 2000–01 42,346 
			 2001–02 75,000 
		
	
	Training was also provided by parts of the Department but we are unable to identify the costs for leadership.
	Ministers are also able to take advantage of the programme for Ministers organised by the Centre for Management and Policy Studies (CMPS) in the Cabinet Office.

Ministerial Training

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how much has been spent by her Department on voice coaching for Ministers and officials in each of the last five years.

Ivan Lewis: holding answer 26 April 2002
	Ministers in this Department are able to take advantage of the programmes for Ministers organised by the Centre for Management and Policy Studies (CMPS) in the Cabinet Office.
	In addition the Department has provided presentation skills training for officials if their job requires it but not voice training. We are unable to provide figures as our records are not broken down into that amount of detail.

Education Maintenance Allowance

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what plans she has to make education maintenance allowances available to young people in Warrington, North; and if she will make a statement.

Ivan Lewis: We will be taking decisions on any future extension of the scheme on the basis of the rigorous evaluation currently being conducted.

Rural Awareness

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills when her Department will introduce measures to raise rural awareness through staff (a) training, (b) development and (c) secondments as part of overall rural proofing measures as set out in the Countryside Agency's report, Rural Proofing in 2001–02.

Ivan Lewis: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Minister for Rural Affairs on 9 May 2002, Official Report, column 274W.

CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT

Parthenon Marbles

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what recent discussions she has had with the Government of Greece concerning the return of the Parthenon Marbles to Athens.

Tessa Jowell: I received a letter from Professor Evangelos Venizelos, Minister of Culture of Greece on 21 June 2001, and I replied to him on 15 July 2001. I have had no discussions with the Government of Greece on this matter.

European Capital of Culture

Kevin Brennan: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will announce the name of the person chosen to be Chairman of the European Capital of Culture 2008 Advisory Panel.

Richard Caborn: On 8 May my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State announced the appointment of Sir Jeremy Isaacs, the former chief executive of Channel Four and general director of the Royal Opera House, as the chairman of the European Capital of Culture 2008 Advisory Panel.
	The broadcaster Sue MacGregor and Judith Mayhew, Chairman of the Policy and Resources Committee at the Corporation of London, will be deputy chairs. Further appointments to the panel will be announced shortly.

National Lottery

Sue Doughty: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment she has made of the effect of the current allocation process for lottery funds on the accumulation of unspent funds; and if she will make a statement.

Richard Caborn: The National Lottery has raised approximately £12.65 billion for good causes since its launch in November 1994, around £9.1 billion of which has been spent by the National Lottery distributing bodies. This leaves a balance of about £3.55 billion which distributors have not yet drawn down from the National Lottery Distribution Fund, although at the end of March 2002 distributors' total commitments stood at over £4.12 billion, some £570 million more than the balance held in the fund.
	Government accounting rules, and the financial directions issued to the distributing bodies by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State, prevent distributors from drawing down money from the Distribution Fund before it is needed to cover expenditure incurred by grant recipients. We will, however, examine how the financial directions might be modified to allow distributors a greater flexibility in managing the funds allocated to them, to enable more funds to be committed and to allow funds which are already committed to be transferred more quickly to grant recipients.

National Lottery

Sue Doughty: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what factors underlay the decision to reject the recommendation of the Rothschild Commission on Gambling that a charitable foundation would be the most appropriate and effective system for allocating Lottery money; and if she will make a statement.

Richard Caborn: Following publication of a White Paper on the National Lottery in 1992 and the consultation which followed it was concluded that establishing the Lottery as a charity would blur the lines of accountability, and that under charity law many of the good causes beneficiaries which were not charities would not be eligible for funding.
	Given the substantial sums of money involved—far in excess of those estimated by the Rothschild Commission—separate distributing bodies for each of the good causes were considered more appropriate, using existing bodies where possible so as not to duplicate expertise or run counter to existing strategies.

National Lottery

Sue Doughty: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will make it her policy to ensure that all young people aged seven to 21 years have the opportunity to participate in arts and sports through Government or Lottery funded programmes; and if she will make a statement.

Richard Caborn: One of the Department's four strategic priorities is to enhance access to a fuller cultural and sporting life for children and young people. To meet this aim DCMS is working closely with DfES and Lottery distributors to deliver a number of key initiatives, including: a sporting entitlement to ensure that all children have access to two hours a week of high quality school sport and physical education; the school sports co-ordinator programme, specialist sports colleges and the New Opportunities Fund Sport and PE in School Programme to improve sports provision in schools; Creative Partnerships, a new initiative linking schools with cultural organisations which is being established in 16 deprived areas across England; Space for Sport and Arts which will improve facilities in primary schools in deprived areas; and the music entitlement which will give all primary school pupils the opportunity to learn a musical instrument.

National Lottery

Sue Doughty: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment she has made of the impact of the underspend of Lottery money for good causes on long-term sales of tickets; and if she will make a statement.

Richard Caborn: No specific assessment has been made. However, the Government regard it as important that the public should have confidence that Lottery funding is bringing the maximum benefit to good causes, and have asked the distributors to take steps to transfer committed funds to grant recipients as quickly as possible.

Crystal Palace Sports Stadium

Jacqui Lait: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will make a statement on Sport England's plans in respect of Crystal Palace sports stadium, with special reference to the financial implications of surrendering its lease.

Richard Caborn: Sport England has conducted a strategic review of all its national centres to ensure that they, and the resources required to run them, are utilised to the best effect. Sport England will shortly be meeting the London borough of Bromley, which owns the freehold of the Crystal Palace centre, to discuss a number of issues including the future development of the centre. I understand that no firm decisions have yet been taken in respect of the centre's future.

Anglo-Italian Meetings

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport on how many occasions in the last six months members of her Department have met their Italian counterparts; and what subjects were discussed.

Richard Caborn: I can confirm that neither Ministers nor officials have taken part in any bilateral meetings with their Italian counterparts during the last six months.
	However, DCMS Ministers and officials regularly meet their counterparts from European Union member states, including Italy, at a wide range of EU meetings. These include formal and informal meetings of the Council of Ministers, working groups, committees and meetings on specific issues such as sport, tourism, cultural and audiovisual policy. We also meet in other forums, such as the Council of Europe, the World Anti-Doping Agency and UNESCO.

DEFENCE

Medical Officers (Reservists)

Paul Goggins: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether medical officers from the reserve forces are to be called out for mobilised service in support of deployed operations; and if he will make a statement.

Lewis Moonie: The Government have authorised the compulsory call out of anaesthetists, general surgeons and orthopaedic surgeons from the volunteer reserve forces to support military operations in the Balkans and Afghanistan. Initially we plan to call out five consultant anaesthetists and two consultant orthopaedic surgeons to report in mid-June and four consultant general surgeons to report in mid-July. Each individual will be mobilised for a period of no more than three months, which allows a little over two months deployment in an operational theatre with the balance comprising pre-deployment training and post-tour leave. We expect to have to continue using similar, or possibly slightly higher, numbers until next spring. The requirement will be reviewed regularly to ensure that the numbers called out are the minimum required to support operations.

Data Protection Act

Matthew Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will place in the Library copies of each version of the internal guidance which have been drawn up by his Department since 1 January 1999 to assist staff in his Department to answer subject access requests under the Data Protection Act 1998.

Lewis Moonie: I refer the hon. Member to the answer my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary for the Lord Chancellor's Department (Mr. Wills) gave on 25 April 2002, Official Report, column 446W to the hon. Member for Birmingham, Hall Green (Mr. McCabe).

Warships

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what further plans he has to place warships in extended readiness or on standby in the next 12 months; and if he will make a statement.

Adam Ingram: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 2 May 2002, Official Report, columns 963–64W and to the answer I gave on 10 April 2002, Official Report, column 14W to the hon. Member for North Wiltshire (Mr. Gray).
	On current plans no further warships will be placed at extended readiness during the next 12 months.

Army (Foreign Nationals)

Gerald Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many foreign nationals left the British Army in each of the last 10 years broken down by nationality; and what their average length of service was.

Adam Ingram: The tables show officer and soldier exits. Nationality at birth is not available on flow data before 1997 so only the last six financial years have been shown. These figures represent those individuals who left the British Army. Calculations have been made using the mean length of service of those personnel at the time they left and are only produced for populations of 10 or more.
	
		Army officers and ODs losses: nationality (at birth) by date of flow
		
			 Nationality (at birth) 1996–97 1997–98 1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 
		
		
			 America — — — — — 1 
			 Australia 2 6 6 5 3 3 
			 Canada 1 5 1 4 2 4 
			 Denmark — 1 — — 1 — 
			 Egypt — — 1 — — 1 
			 France — — — — 1 — 
			 Germany — — 2 2 — — 
			 Ghana — 1 — — — — 
			 Gibraltar — — 1 — — — 
			 Guyana — — — — — 1 
			 Hong Kong — — — — 1 — 
			 India 2 — — 3 1 — 
			 Iraq — 1 — — — — 
			 Jordan — — 1 1 — — 
			 Kenya — 1 1 1 — — 
			 Malaysia — 1 1 1 — 2 
			 Malta GC 2 2 4 3 2 2 
			 Morocco — — — — 1 — 
			 Nepal(2),(3) — 1 — — — — 
			 Netherlands 1 — — — — — 
			 New Zealand 3 2 5 3 1 — 
			 New Zealand islands — — — — 2 — 
			 Nigeria 1 — — — — 1 
			 Pakistan 1 — 1 — — — 
			 Portugal — — — — 1 — 
			 Republic of Ireland 3 8 4 5 5 6 
			 Rhodesia 1 2 1 3 3 1 
			 South Africa 3 — 1 4 6 4 
			 Spain — — — 1 — — 
			 Sri Lanka 1 — — — — — 
			 Sweden — — 1 — — — 
			 Tanzania — — 1 — — — 
			 Trinidad and Tobago 1 — — — — — 
			 Zimbabwe — — — 2 1 1 
			 Grand Total 22 31 32 38 31 27 
			 Gurkhas n/a 21 23 18 15 13 
		
	
	(2) See also Gurkhas
	(3) The Nepalese officer shown was a member of UK Regular Forces. Gurkha officers that left have been shown separately.
	
		Mean length of service on exit for officers, by nationality at birth
		
			  1996–97 1997–98 1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 
		
		
			 Gurkhas — — 26.00 25.48 27.08 25.38 
		
	
	Note:
	All other nationalities: the calculation of mean length of service would not be meaningful, i.e. each outflow by nationality and year is less than 10.
	
		Army ranks losses: nationality (at birth) by date of flow
		
			 Nationality (at birth) 1996–97 1997–98 1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 
		
		
			 America 3 1 3 2 2 1 
			 American overseas — 1 — — — — 
			 Australia 18 20 17 13 20 16 
			 Austria — — — — 1 — 
			 Bahama islands — — — 1 — — 
			 Bangladesh 1 — 1 — 2 — 
			 Barbados 1 — 2 — 2 3 
			 Barbuda (Leeward islands) 1 — — — — — 
			 Belgium 1 — — — — — 
			 Belize 1 1 — 1 2 1 
			 Brazil — 2 — — — — 
			 Britain/Singapore — — 1 — — 1 
			 Britcommw/Brit Com — 2 — 2 1 — 
			 Brunei — — — 1 — — 
			 Canada 10 9 11 16 13 10 
			 Colombia — 1 — — — — 
			 Cyprus 1 1 — — — — 
			 Denmark — — 2 1 — 1 
			 Dominica (Windward islands) — — — 1 — — 
			 Dominican Republic — — — — — 1 
			 Falkland Islands — — — 1 — — 
			 Fiji 1 1 1 4 15 15 
			 France 1 — 2 — — — 
			 Gambia — — — — 1 — 
			 Germany 3 3 4 2 7 5 
			 Ghana — 1 — — — 2 
			 Gibraltar — — — 1 1 — 
			 Greece 1 — 1 — — — 
			 Grenada (Windward islands) — — — 1 — 2 
			 Guyana — — 2 1 1 2 
			 Honduras — — — — — 1 
			 Hong Kong 1 1 1 3 1 2 
			 Hungary — 1 — — — — 
			 India 1 1 — 3 1 3 
			 Iran — — 1 — — 1 
			 Iraq — — — 2 — — 
			 Italy 1 — — 1 — — 
			 Jamaica 7 6 5 11 8 18 
			 Kenya — 1 — — 3 1 
			 Kiribati — — — — 1 — 
			 Korea south — 1 — — — — 
			 Lebanon 2 — — — — — 
			 Malaysia — — 1 — 1 — 
			 Malta GC 2 1 1 3 2 — 
			 Mauritania — — — 1 — — 
			 Mauritius — 1 — — — 1 
			 Monserrat (Leeward islands) — — — 1 — 1 
			 Morocco — — 1 — — — 
			 Nepal(4) — — — — — — 
			 Netherlands — 1 1 — — 1 
			 New Zealand 9 4 9 5 7 9 
			 New Zealand islands 1 1 1 1 3 2 
			 Nigeria — — 1 1 2 — 
			 Pakistan — — 1 — 4 3 
			 Pakistan West — — — — 1 1 
			 Philippines — — — — 1 — 
			 Poland — 1 2 1 — — 
			 Portugal — 1 — — 1 1 
			 Republic of Ireland 44 34 37 42 35 41 
			 Rhodesia 3 4 5 4 — 2 
			 Salvador 1 — — — 1 — 
			 Seychelles — — — 1 — — 
			 Sierra Leone — — — 1 3 2 
			 Somalia — — — — 1 — 
			 South Africa 1 11 21 19 21 26 
			 Spain — 1 — — 2 — 
			 Sri Lanka — — — 1 — — 
			 St. Helena 1 — 2 2 4 1 
			 St. Lucia Island — — — — 3 1 
			 St. Vincent Island 1 — — — 7 14 
			 Sudan — 1 — — — — 
			 Sweden — — — — 1 — 
			 Switzerland — — — — 1 — 
			 Tanzania — — — — — 1 
			 Thailand — — 1 — — — 
			 Trinidad and Tobago — — 1 2 2 4 
			 Turkey — 1 — — — — 
			 Uganda — — — 1 — 1 
			 West Indies—British 1 2 — 1 — — 
			 Zambia — — 1 1 — 2 
			 Zimbabwe 1 1 1 11 7 14 
			 Stateless — — — — 1 — 
			 Grand Total 120 119 141 167 193 214 
			 Gurkhas n/a 177 217 149 91 209 
		
	
	(4) See also Gurkhas
	
		Mean length of service on exit for soldiers, by nationality at birth
		
			   Financial years  
			 Nationality (at birth) 1996–97 1997–98 1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 
		
		
			 Australia 5.39 5.40 5.44 4.81 5.60 4.50 
			 Canada 2.90 — 5.77 5.81 5.81 6.50 
			 Fiji — — — — 0.50 1.83 
			 Jamaica — — — 12.59 — 3.06 
			 Republic of Ireland 5.75 8.62 9.14 10.14 6.04 7.63 
			 South Africa — 7.41 1.64 5.34 2.60 2.08 
			 St. Vincent Island — — — — — 0.50 
			 Zimbabwe — — — 0.86 — 2.50 
			 Gurkhas — — 16.07 16.21 16.87 17.12 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Mean length of service has only been calculated for those nationalities where 10 or more soldiers left in any one year.
	2. When outflow by nationality and year is less than 10 the calculation of mean length of service would not be meaningful.

Army (Foreign Nationals)

Gerald Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many foreign nationals were recruited to serve in the British Army in each of the last 10 years, broken down by country from which recruited.

Adam Ingram: The tables show officer and soldier intakes. Nationality at birth is not available on intake data before 1997 so only the last five financial years have been shown. These figures represent those individuals who joined training in the British Army. The actual number 'recruited' could be slightly higher as some decide not to join. This figure is not available from the individual record of service.
	
		Officers intake by nationality (at birth) financial year 1997–98 to 2001–02
		
			  1997–98 1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 Total 
		
		
			 America — 1 — 1 — 2 
			 Australia 4 5 2 8 7 26 
			 Austria — 1 1 — 1 3 
			 Bangladesh — 1 — — — 1 
			 Barbados — — — 1 — 1 
			 Belgium — 1 — — — 1 
			 Bermuda — 1 — — — 1 
			 Canada 4 1 2 3 — 10 
			 Denmark — — 1 — — 1 
			 Fiji — — — 1 2 3 
			 France — — 1 — — 1 
			 Germany 1 — — — — 1 
			 Gibraltar — — 1 — — 1 
			 Guyana 1 — — — — 1 
			 Hong Kong — — 2 — — 2 
			 India 1 1 2 — 1 5 
			 Iran 1 — — — — 1 
			 Italy — — 1 — — 1 
			 Jamaica 1 — — — — 1 
			 Jordan 1 — — — — 1 
			 Kenya — 1 1 1 — 3 
			 Korea South — — — 1 — 1 
			 Lebanon — — — — 1 1 
			 Malaysia — 1 — 2 1 4 
			 Malta GC — 2 2 — — 4 
			 Morocco — — 1 — — 1 
			 Nepal(5) — — — — 1 1 
			 Netherlands — — — — 1 1 
			 New Zealand 1 3 3 2 3 12 
			 New Zealand Islands — 1 2 1 — 4 
			 Nigeria — — — 2 1 3 
			 Pakistan — — 1 — — 1 
			 Republic of Ireland 3 3 3 3 4 16 
			 Rhodesia — — 2 — 1 3 
			 Sierra Leone — — 2 — — 2 
			 Singapore — — — 1 — 1 
			 South Africa 2 2 9 7 7 27 
			 Spain — 1 — 1 1 3 
			 Sri Lanka — 1 — — — 1 
			 Switzerland — — — — 1 1 
			 Trinidad and Tobago — — — — 1 1 
			 Zimbabwe 2 5 8 1 2 18 
			 Stateless — 1 — — — 1 
			  
			 Total 22 33 47 36 36 174 
		
	
	(5) The Nepalese officer shown is a member of UK regular forces. No Gurkha officers are shown as being recruited because they are all promoted from within the ranks.
	
		Soldier intake by nationality (at birth) financial year 1997–98 to 2001–02
		
			  1997–98 1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 Total 
		
		
			 America 3 — — — 1 4 
			 American overseas 1 — — — — 1 
			 Antigua (Leeward Islands) — — — 1 1 2 
			 Australia 10 17 17 14 8 66 
			 Austria 1 — — 1 — 2 
			 Bangladesh 1 1 3 — 4 9 
			 Barbados — — — 4 2 6 
			 Belize 1 3 2 2 — 8 
			 Bermuda — 1 — — — 1 
			 Botswana 1 — 1 — — 2 
			 Brazil 2 — 2 — — 4 
			 Bulgaria — — — — 1 1 
			 Cameroon Republic — — — — 1 1 
			 Canada 12 20 15 9 15 71 
			 Congo — 1 — — — 1 
			 Denmark — 1 — — 1 2 
			 Dominica (Windward Islands) — — — — 1 1 
			 Dominican Republic — — — 2 1 3 
			 Fiji 1 16 315 263 485 1,080 
			 France 1 2 2 — 2 7 
			 Gambia — 2 1 4 10 17 
			 Germany 7 8 7 6 4 32 
			 Ghana — 1 — 15 80 96 
			 Gibraltar 1 — 1 — — 2 
			 Grenada (Windward Islands) — — 2 6 8 16 
			 Guyana — 2 2 2 1 7 
			 Honduras 1 — 1 1 — 3 
			 Hong Kong — 1 2 2 1 6 
			 India 1 2 2 3 5 13 
			 Iran 1 — — — 1 2 
			 Italy 1 2 1 — 1 5 
			 Jamaica 2 9 15 49 182 257 
			 Kenya 1 1 2 9 9 22 
			 Libya — — — 1 — 1 
			 Malawi — — 1 — 4 5 
			 Malta GC 1 1 2 1 — 5 
			 Mauritania — — 1 — 1 2 
			 Mauritius 1 1 — 3 3 8 
			 Mexico — 1 — 1 — 2 
			 Monserrat (Leeward Islands) — — 4 1 1 6 
			 Namibia (formerly WS Africa) — — 1 1 — 2 
			 Nepal (see Gurkhas) — — — — — — 
			 Netherlands — — 2 — 2 4 
			 New Zealand 5 7 3 3 — 18 
			 New Zealand Islands 1 2 — 9 6 18 
			 Nigeria — — — 6 10 16 
			 Pacific Islands — — — 1 1 2 
			 Pakistan — 1 — 4 3 8 
			 Pakistan West — 1 — — — 1 
			 Papua — — 1 — — 1 
			 Philippines 1 1 2 2 2 8 
			 Poland 1 — — — — 1 
			 Portugal — — — 1 — 1 
			 Republic of Ireland 43 27 23 23 8 124 
			 Rhodesia 3 6 — — — 9 
			 Romania — 1 — — 2 3 
			 Seychelles — 1 — — 1 2 
			 Sierra Leone 2 1 2 5 2 12 
			 Singapore — — — — 1 1 
			 Somalia 1 — 1 1 — 3 
			 South Africa 15 39 53 69 124 300 
			 Spain — 1 1 — 1 3 
			 Sri Lanka — — — 1 1 2 
			 St. Helena 1 12 9 8 — 30 
			 St. Lucia Island — 1 2 4 15 22 
			 St. Vincent Island — — — 179 5 184 
			 Sudan 1 — — — — 1 
			 Tanzania — — — — 1 1 
			 Thailand 1 1 2 — 3 7 
			 Tongan Islands — 1 — — 2 3 
			 Trinidad and Tobago — 2 4 15 12 33 
			 Turkey 1 1 — — — 2 
			 Uganda — — — 1 1 2 
			 Vietnam South — — — 1 — 1 
			 Western Samoa — — — 2 — 2 
			 Yemen 1 — — — — 1 
			 Zambia 1 — — 3 5 9 
			 Zimbabwe 2 15 20 39 124 200 
			 Stateless — — 1 — — 1 
			  
			 Total 131 214 528 778 1,166 2,817 
			 Gurkhas 181 230 229 230 230 1,100

Throckmorton Airfield

Peter Luff: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what value he estimates attaches to the Throckmorton airfield within QinetiQ's property portfolio (a) as currently developed, (b) with an asylum accommodation centre on the airfield and (c) with planning permission for a science park.

Lewis Moonie: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 5 February 2002, Official Report, column 856W. Given that the site now belongs to QinetiQ plc, the value of the site, now and in the future, forms part of the company's commercial planning process. I am therefore withholding the information requested under Exemption 13 of the code of practice on access to Government information which relates to the maintenance of commercial confidences.

Throckmorton Airfield

Peter Luff: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  if he will make a statement on the ownership of land at Throckmorton airfield; and what plans his Department has for the disposal of this land (a) to the Home Office or its agencies and (b) through the privatisation of Qinetiq;
	(2)  what account was taken of the land and property at Throckmorton used by QinetiQ in the preparation for the privatisation of the agency; and if he will make a statement;
	(3)  what impact the construction of the proposed asylum accommodation centre at Throckmorton would have on (a) the activities of QinetiQ and (b) the other defence-related activities at the airfield.

Lewis Moonie: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 17 July 2001, Official Report, column 142W. Most of the Throckmorton site, formerly known as the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency (DERA) Pershore, is now owned by QinetiQ. The remainder of the site, used last year to deal with some of the consequences of the foot and mouth outbreak, is in the final stages of being transferred to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA).
	As part of the PPP process, all activities carried out by DERA were reviewed, and those which did not need to be retained within Government were transferred to QinetiQ on 1 July 2001, including those carried out at Pershore. Legally enforceable safeguards are in place to ensure that QinetiQ continue to provide key strategic facilities and services required by the Ministry of Defence. Against this background the company is free to explore other business opportunities.
	The future provision of an accommodation centre for asylum seekers is the responsibility of the Home Office, and although QinetiQ's site at Pershore has been identified as a potential site, a final decision has yet to be made. Subject to consultation, with QinetiQ as landowner, the local planning authorities, and the local community, the final decision with regard to siting one of these centres at Pershore rests with the Home Secretary.

Libya

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on what basis the decision was made to include Libya as one of the four main countries of concern to the UK in her Department's memorandum on the Ballistic Missile Threat; what activities of Libya are of concern to the UK; and if he will make a statement.

Geoff Hoon: Although we currently assess there is no significant ballistic missile threat to the United Kingdom from Libya, Libya continues to have an active programme for the development of long-range ballistic missiles. We believe that Libya is also pursuing programmes for the development of weapons of mass destruction.

Strategic Defence Review

Gerald Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which medical elements of the Strategic Defence Review have not been implemented; and if he will make a statement.

Lewis Moonie: The main medical elements of the Strategic Defence Review have either been completed or remain in the Defence programme, although some may be subject to change in the light of subsequent developments.

Mine Counter-measures Vessels

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to withdraw mine counter- measures vessels from service; and if he will make a statement.

Adam Ingram: On current plans the present total of 22 Sandown and Hunt class minehunters will be maintained in service with the Royal Navy.

Naval Vessels

James Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many crew are serving on HMS Fearless.

Adam Ingram: There are currently 490 crew serving on HMS Fearless.

Naval Vessels

James Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what maintenance work is being carried out on HMS Monmouth.

Adam Ingram: HMS Monmouth is currently undergoing a planned refit at Rosyth dockyard, involving necessary equipment refurbishment and enhancements to her operational and support systems. This will include enhanced aviation capability, to accommodate the Merlin helicopter, and installation of a new command support system and anti-air warfare training system. Other enhancements will also be made to her communications, administration and waste disposal systems.

Naval Vessels

James Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when the planned refits are for (a) HMS Invincible, (b) HMS Illustrious and (c) HMS Ark Royal before the end of their service lives.

Adam Ingram: HMS Ark Royal completed her last planned refit in November 2001. The last planned refit for HMS Invincible commenced in September 2001 and is expected to complete and return to service in the first half of 2003. That for HMS Illustrious will commence this autumn and is expected to complete in autumn 2004. The vessels will, however, continue to undergo routine maintenance and shorter docking periods for the remainder of their service lives.

Naval Vessels

James Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if HMS Sheffield will have further refits before the end of her service life.

Adam Ingram: On current plans HMS Sheffield has no further scheduled refits though she is programmed to undertake a docking period in early 2004.

Army Pay and Conditions

Paul Keetch: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the compatibility of the pay and conditions of the Royal Gibraltar Regiment and other regiments in the British Army, excluding the Gurkhas; and if he will make a statement.

Adam Ingram: The Royal Gibraltar Regiment is a force raised in Gibraltar for service in Gibraltar. Its officers hold a Governor's Commission rather than a Queen's Commission. The Regiment has close links with the British Army, and occasionally officers and soldiers are attached for a period of time to British Army units.
	Members of the permanent cadre of the Royal Gibraltar Regiment and the Volunteer Reserve receive the same rates of pay as their counterparts in the Regular Army and the Territorial Army, with the exception that they receive lower rates of X factor, ie 5 per cent. and 2.5 per cent. respectively, instead of 13 per cent. and 5 per cent. (the X factor is the additional element added to basic pay to reflect the differences between conditions of service in the Army and United Kingdom civilian life). The lower levels of X factor for the Regiment reflects the reduced liability for service of its members. Members of the Royal Gibraltar Regiment may also be eligible for United Kingdom service allowances provided they meet the relevant criteria.

Temporary Staff

Kevin McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the cost to his Department was of employing staff in (a) London and (b) the south-east from employment agencies in each year since 1997.

Lewis Moonie: This information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. Agency staff are generally used as an interim measure to fill posts which cannot be filled conventionally in the required time scale.

Sea Harrier Decommissioning

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what guidance is given to serving officers on the submission of letters to newspapers for publication; if the letter from Flight Lieutenant D. Holland RAF and Lieutenant James Hamblin RN to The Times, published on 13 May was approved by commanding officers; and if he will make a statement.

Adam Ingram: Inquiries have revealed that there are no officers with these names in the Royal Navy and Royal Air Force. The authorship of this letter is therefore unknown. We have informed The Times accordingly. Queen's Regulations provide guidance to service personnel on publication of views and the requirement to seek permission beforehand. Had the letter been authentic, these procedures would have needed to be followed.

Gurkhas

Gerald Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Gurkhas were recruited to serve in the British Army in each of the last 10 years; and how many are serving.

Adam Ingram: As at 1 April 2002, there are 3,449 trained Gurkhas serving in the British Army. Details of the number recruited in each of the last 10 years are shown in the following table:
	
		
			  Number of recruits 
		
		
			 1993 152 
			 1994 152 
			 1995 152 
			 1996 159 
			 1997 159 
			 1998 181 
			 1999 230 
			 2000 229 
			 2001 230 
			 2002 230

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

Regional Development Agencies

David Borrow: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what decisions she has made about the membership of the boards of the regional development agencies outside London.

Alan Johnson: The first terms of office of Jonathan Porritt (SW RDA), John Ashcroft (Yorkshire Forward) and Bryan Carr and Ron Whittaker (EMDA) ended this year. Following consultation with RDA chairmen and key national and regional players, I have decided to re-appoint each of them to their respective board for a second term of three years. Biographies of these board members are set out. The next round of new appointments will begin in June.
	Bryan Carr (EMDA)
	Bryan Carr is currently Chairman of Lincolnshire Electronics Company, Castlet, vice-chairman of Governor's for Monks Dyke Technology College in Lincolnshire and also chairman of Transline Ltd., Lincolnshire.
	Dr. Ron Whittaker (EMDA)
	Ron Whittaker is chief executive of SATRA Technology Centre, Kettering. He is on the Technical Committee of the British Apparel and Textiles Confederation and a member of the East Midlands Clothing and Textiles Partnership. He is also vice-chairman of a community primary school in Kettering and Technology Governor for a voluntary aided secondary school, also in Kettering. Ron is a council member for East Midlands Council of CBI. He is not involved in any political activity and holds no other ministerial appointments.
	John Ashcroft (Yorkshire Forward)
	John Ashcroft has a lead role on Business Birth Rate, innovation and technology transfer and a support role for the North Yorkshire sub-region. John is a director of Datalion Ltd. and a trustee director of The Earth Centre. He is a non-executive director of British Smaller Technology Companies VCT1 and VCT2 plc, KMP Associates Ltd., Shopcreator plc, South Yorkshire Investment Fund Ltd. and Cozart Bioscience Ltd. He is also a board member of North Yorkshire Learning Skills Council (unpaid) and executive chairman of Cambridge Cognition Ltd. He is not involved in any political activity and holds no other ministerial appointments.
	Jonathan Porritt CBE (SW RDA)
	Jonathan Porritt is a co-founder and programme director of Forum for the Future, a charity which offers a solutions-oriented approach to today's environmental and social problems, developing strategic partnerships across different sectors. He is a leading writer, broadcaster and commentator on sustainable development, and his most recent book is 'Playing Safe: Science and the Environment' (Thames and Hudson 2000). He is also chairman of the UK Sustainable Development Commission, co-director of The Prince of Wales Business and Environment Programme, and a vice-president of the Socialist Environment Resources Association (SERA). He is not involved in any political activity and holds no other ministerial appointments.

ISA Fees

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry to which Government Department, and to which account, the ISA's fees and retained interest are credited.

Melanie Johnson: ISA fees are credited to the Department of Trade and Industry's account at the Bank of England. Pursuant to the provisions of section 405 of the Insolvency Act 1986 surplus interest is paid to the Consolidated Fund.

Office of Fair Trading

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans she has to review the working of the Office of Fair Trading; and if she will make a statement.

Melanie Johnson: holding answer 8 May 2002
	Under the Enterprise Bill we are creating a new statutory framework for the Office of Fair Trading (OFT), including creating a board, and requiring the OFT to publish an annual plan and annual report.

Export Licences (Israel)

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many (a) Standard Individual Export Licences and (b) Open Individual Export Licences have been issued for exports to Israel in each month since January 2001.

Nigel Griffiths: The number of Standard Individual Export Licences (SIELs) and Open Individual Export Licences (OIELs) issued to end users in Israel in each month since January 2001 was as follows:
	
		
			 Month/year Number of SIELs Number of OIELs 
		
		
			 January 2001 0 0 
			 February 2001 46 0 
			 March 2001 26 2 
			 April 2001 25 3 
			 May 2001 0 1 
			 June 2001 0 0 
			 July 2001 81 2 
			 August 2001 17 4 
			 September 2001 16 5 
			 October 2001 25 5 
			 November 2001 25 1 
			 December 2001 15 0 
			 January 2002 13 1 
			 February 2002 15 3 
			 March 2002 20 1 
			 April 2002 5 1 
		
	
	All export licence applications to Israel are assessed on a case-by-case basis against the Consolidated EU and National Arms Export Licensing criteria in light of the circumstances prevailing at the time. This means that we will not issue export licences where to do so would be in contravention of the Consolidated Criteria, including where there is a clear risk that the items might be used in internal repression, international aggression, adversely affect regional stability or prolong internal conflict.

Newspaper Distribution

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on her Department's policy on (a) competition and (b) regulation in the newspaper distribution industry.

Melanie Johnson: Responsibility for monitoring the newspaper distribution market and investigating allegations of anti-competitive behaviour lies with the Director General of Fair Trading.
	The Office of Fair Trading is currently reviewing the Code of Practice on the supply of national newspapers, introduced following the 1993 monopoly report on newspaper distribution in England and Wales. It is also examining other issues affecting the industry including exclusive distribution and carriage charges.

Manufacturing Strategy

Linda Gilroy: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on the Government's manufacturing strategy.

Patricia Hewitt: In our first term, our priority was to establish a platform of macro economic stability. That we have achieved. We now need to build upon this foundation to improve the productivity and competitiveness of our economy.
	As part of this programme, I am publishing today a report setting out the Government's strategy for the manufacturing sector; a report by the Automotive Innovation and Growth Team; and a Value-Added Scoreboard. Copies of each publication are being placed in the Libraries of the House. I have also established a new Innovation and Growth Team, on the aerospace industry.
	UK manufacturing matters. It creates a fifth of our national output, employs 4 million people and produces the majority of our exports. It supports well paid jobs in all regions. It can make a very substantial contribution to improvements in our economy's productivity. The success of United Kingdom manufacturing is crucial to our country's prosperity, now and in the future.
	I recognise that the sector has been facing difficult conditions. There is intense competition in every market, compounded within the euro zone by the persistent weakness of that currency. In recent times, manufacturers around the world have all faced very difficult trading conditions, as a result of the global downturn in manufacturing.
	Looking to the future, however, the potential of the sector is strong. The United Kingdom is part of the world's largest single market as well as being one of the world's most open trading nations. This brings extra competition, but also extra opportunity. Recent surveys of industrial confidence have been positive, and there is evidence of improved global conditions.
	Manufacturing strategy
	Many UK manufacturers are world leaders. We excel in sectors such as car manufacturing, aerospace, pharmaceuticals, the electronics industry and food production. But despite its many strengths, UK manufacturing also suffers from long-standing weaknesses—lower levels of skill, investment, R and D and innovation—that contribute to lower levels of productivity than in France, Germany and the US.
	The document I am publishing sets out the Government's strategy for helping manufacturing companies fulfil their potential in the UK, moving up the value chain to high skilled, knowledge intensive operations. The strategy builds on the TUC/CBI work on productivity, the dialogue at the manufacturing summit I hosted last December, and a careful analysis of the evidence.
	A first requirement is that Government must create a sound market-oriented, stable business environment. But this is not enough. We must also encourage companies to innovate, to invest, to improve skills and use best business practice. On this basis we identify seven manufacturing pillars for our strategy:
	Macro-economic stability
	Investment
	Innovation
	Best practice
	Raising skills and education levels
	Modern infrastructure
	The right market framework.
	Within each pillar, there are objectives and actions for Government and industry to develop. The strategy is neither a hard and fast prescription, nor a formula for instant initiatives. Instead, we offer it as the basis for continuing to develop a robust partnership with management, employees and their unions—a manufacturing partnership based on best practice that must be effective at the national, regional and sectoral level.
	AIGT report
	The Automotive Innovation and Growth Team report that I am also publishing today provides an excellent example of Government working in partnership with industry to produce a practical strategy which will bring real benefits to a critical manufacturing sector.
	My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister is discussing the strategy later this afternoon with Sir Ian Gibson, Chairman of the AIGT, and other senior automotive leaders. I am delighted to accept the recommendations of the report and to confirm that the Government are committed to delivering on the report's conclusions in partnership with the automotive industry. Government funding of around £45 million will be invested over five years to implement the recommendations to establish an Automotive Academy, Supply Chain Groups, and two automotive centres of excellence.
	Value-Added Scoreboard
	I am also publishing today the first ever company wealth creation league table—the Value-Added Scoreboard, which measures value added, that is sales less the cost of bought-in materials, components and services. It provides a unique tool which enables all companies, including those not currently in the Scoreboard, easily to calculate their value added from their annual report and benchmark themselves against UK and European companies in their sector that are in the Scoreboard.
	The Scoreboard, put together by the DTI Innovation Group, contains real success stories of British manufacturing and other sectors and will help companies to learn from the record of Britain's and Europe's most successful businesses. There are five UK companies in the top 15 wealth creators in Europe—Shell, BP, HSBC, GlaxoSmithKline and BT—and 24 in the top 100, all highly successful companies that create high value added for the UK economy.
	Next steps
	The work of the Automotive Innovation and Growth Team, and our response to its report, underlines our commitment to effective action to support manufacturing.
	Three other innovation and growth teams have already been established, in the chemicals, environmental equipment, and software sectors. In the textiles and clothing sector, we are implementing the recommendations of the Industry Strategy Group. The aerospace industry in the UK has been very successful, but it is facing increasing competition from other parts of the world. I am, therefore, delighted to be able to announce today the formation of an innovation and growth team for the sector, led by Sir Richard Evans of BAE Systems.
	On the wider aspects of our manufacturing strategy:
	We will work with industry to develop firmer benchmarks against which to measure and report on progress, in order to focus our activities more effectively,
	We will publish competitiveness studies on a sectoral basis to provide a basis for further action to improve productivity and performance,
	The English regional development agencies have been asked to reflect the importance of manufacturing in their regional economic strategies and plans.
	Our aim is to deepen and broaden the consensus around the actions required to achieve manufacturing success in the UK. In partnership with industry and other stakeholders, we are determined to deliver results.

Export Licences

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the target date is for her Department in responding to export licence applications; and if she will make a statement.

Nigel Griffiths: holding answer 13 May 2002
	The aim is to provide a response to 70 per cent. of cases within 20 working days, except in special circumstances. Details of performance in processing Standard Individual Export Licence applications against the target is published in the Government's Annual Reports on Strategic Export Controls, copies of which are available in the Libraries of the House.
	The Government are committed to processing all export licence applications as quickly as possible consistent with our determination to manage the transfer of all goods and technology controlled for strategic reasons in a responsible manner.

Rotherham Rugby Club

Derek Wyatt: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will direct the Office of Fair Trading to examine (a) the reasons why Rotherham RFU club has been denied access to the Zurich Premier League, (b) the head leases and ownership clauses of the current members of the English Rugby Limited and (c) whether England Rugby Limited is a cartel.

Melanie Johnson: Under UK competition legislation the Director General of Fair Trading is responsible for monitoring markets and investigating allegations of anti-competitive behaviour. Any evidence of anti-competitive behaviour should be sent directly to the Office of Fair Trading.

Temporary Workers

Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to her answer of 30 April 2002, Official Report, column 739W, on temporary workers, whether all parties who submitted responses to the original consultation have been included as consultees in the short consultation exercise to which she refers.

Alan Johnson: In the next consultation exercise on the draft Conduct of Employment Agencies and Employment Businesses Regulations, I will be consulting all those who responded to the last consultation exercise, anybody else who has asked to be included in the consultation and other major interested bodies. I will place copies of the consultation document in the Libraries of the House and in addition on the DTI website.

TRANSPORT, LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND THE REGIONS

Anglo-Italian Meetings

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions on how many occasions in the last six months (a) he and (b) his officials have met their Italian counterparts; and what subjects were discussed.

Alan Whitehead: Officials met in April in preparation for a ministerial meeting in July 2002 to discuss the business of the EU Transport Council.

Temporary Staff

Kevin McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what the cost to his Department was of employing staff in (a) London and (b) the south east from employment agencies in each year since 1997.

Alan Whitehead: This information is not held centrally and is therefore not available.

Press Office

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions how many members of his Department's press office are (a) under investigation and (b) suspended; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen Byers: Staffing and disciplinary matters are handled within the Department in accordance with the DTLR staff handbook. Within that framework personnel matters relating to individuals are a confidential matter between them and the Department.

Committee Mandates

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what the mandate of the Advisory Committee on access for Community air carriers to intra-Community air routes is; how many times it has met over the last 12 months; what the UK representation on it is; what the annual cost of its work is to public funds; if he will list the items currently under its consideration; if he will take steps to increase its accountability and transparency to Parliament; and if he will make a statement.

David Jamieson: The Advisory Committee on access for Community air carriers to intra-Community air routes is established under the provisions of Article 11 of the Regulation (EEC) 2408/92. The remit of the committee is to advise the Commission on the application of the regulation and Articles 9 and 10 in particular on limiting traffic rights and capacity. The UK would normally be represented on the committee by an official from my Department. The committee has not met in the last 12 months and there has been no cost to public funds. There are no matters currently under its consideration.
	Together with member states, the Commission is currently conducting a review to bring existing legislation on the conduct of comitology committees into line with Council Decision 1999/468/EC, to
	"simplify the requirements for the exercise of implementing powers conferred on the Commission".
	As an obligation to this Decision, the Commission undertook to publish an annual report on the working of committees. The first report was deposited in the Libraries of both Houses on 26 February (Com (2001) 783 Final). As part of the review process, the UK Government have encouraged the Commission to produce and maintain an electronic database of every comitology committee, its agendas and recent actions, to be accessible through its website.

Committee Mandates

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what the mandate of the Committee on application of the legislation on access to the ground handling market at Community airports is; how many times it has met over the last 12 months; what the UK representation on it is; what the annual cost of its work is to public funds; if he will list the items currently under its consideration; if he will take steps to increase its accountability and transparency to Parliament; and if he will make a statement.

David Jamieson: This advisory committee was established under Article 10 of the ground handling directive, whose purpose is to open up ground handling to competition at European airports in the interests of airlines. The mandate of the committee is to advise the European Commission when member states apply for exemptions from the directive. The committee is normally attended by two officials, but it has not met during the last 12 months. Since the committee was established in 1996, the average annual salary and travel and subsistence cost incurred by the Department has been approximately £1,200. There are no cases currently being considered by the committee.
	Together with member states, the Commission is currently conducting a review to bring existing legislation on the conduct of comitology committees into line with Council Decision 1999/468/EC, to
	"simplify the requirements for the exercise of implementing powers conferred on the Commission".
	As an obligation to this Decision, the Commission undertook to publish an annual report on the working of committees. The first report was deposited in the Libraries of both Houses on 26 February 2002 (Com (2001) 783 Final). As part of the review progress, the UK Government have encouraged the Commission to produce and maintain an electronic database of every comitology committee, its agendas and recent actions, to be accessible through its website.

Committee Mandates

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what the mandate of the Committee on the transfer of ships from one register to another within the Community is; how many times it has met over the last 12 months; what the UK representation on it is; what the annual cost of its work is to public funds; if he will list the items currently under its consideration; if he will take steps to increase its accountability and transparency to Parliament; and if he will make a statement.

David Jamieson: The committee dealing with the transfer of ships from one register to another within the Community is established under the provisions of Article 6 of Council Regulation (EEC) 613/91. The committee is composed of representatives of member states and is chaired by the European Commission. The remit of the committee is to assist the Commission in implementing and interpreting the regulation with a view to achieving the objective of facilitating the transfer of ships within the Community while ensuring that standards of maritime safety and environmental protection are not reduced. The committee has not met in the last 12 months. The UK is represented by officials from my Department and the annual cost of its work to public funds is currently nil. There are no items currently under the committee's consideration.
	Together with member states, the Commission is currently conducting a review to bring existing legislation on the conduct of comitology committees into line with Council Decision 1999/468/EC, to
	"simplify the requirements for the exercise of implementing powers conferred on the Commission".
	As an obligation to this Decision, the Commission undertook to publish an annual report on the working of committees. The first report was deposited in the Libraries of both Houses on 26 February (Com (2001) 783 Final). As part of the review process, the UK Government have encouraged the Commission to produce and maintain an electronic database of every comitology committee, its agendas and recent actions, to be accessible through its website.

Committee Mandates

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what the mandate of the Committee on the harmonisation of technical requirements and administrative procedures in the field of civil aviation is; how many times it has met over the last 12 months; what the UK representation on it is; what the annual cost of its work is to public funds; if he will list the items currently under its consideration; if he will take steps to increase its accountability and transparency to Parliament; and if he will make a statement.

David Jamieson: The Committee on the harmonisation of technical requirements and administrative procedures in the field of civil aviation is established under the provisions of Article 12 of Council Regulation (EEC) 3922/91. The primary remit of the committee is to assist the Commission in making the amendments necessitated by scientific and technical progress to the common technical requirements and administrative procedures listed in Annexe II or adopted by the Council in accordance with Article 4 of the regulation. The Safety Regulation Group of the Civil Aviation Authority represents the UK on the committee. The committee has not met in the last 12 months and there has been no cost to public funds. There are no matters currently under its consideration.
	Together with member states, the Commission is currently conducting a review to bring existing legislation on the conduct of comitology committees into line with Council Decision 1999/468/EC, to
	"simplify the requirements for the exercise of implementing powers conferred on the Commission".
	As an obligation to this Decision, the Commission undertook to publish an annual report on the working of committees. The first report was deposited in the Libraries of both Houses on 26 February (Com(2001) 783 Final). As part of the review process, the UK Government have encouraged the Commission to produce and maintain an electronic database of every comitology committee, its agendas and recent actions, to be accessible through its website.

Committee Mandates

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what the mandate of the Advisory Committee on unfair pricing practices in marine transport is; how many times it has met over the last 12 months; what the UK representation on it is; what the annual cost of its work is to public funds; if he will list the items currently under its consideration; if he will take steps to increase its accountability and transparency to Parliament; and if he will make a statement.

David Jamieson: The Advisory Committee on unfair pricing practices in marine transport is established under the provisions of Article 6 of Council Regulation (EEC) 4057/86. The committee is composed of representatives of member states and is chaired by the European Commission. The remit of the committee is to assist the Commission in establishing the existence of unfair pricing practices and the amount thereof; the existence and extent of injury; the causal link between unfair pricing practices and injury; and the appropriate measures to prevent or remedy the injury caused by unfair pricing practices and the ways and means for putting such measures into effect. The committee has not met in the last 12 months. The UK is represented by officials from my Department and the annual cost of its work to public funds is currently nil. There are no items currently under the committee's consideration.
	Together with member states, the Commission is currently conducting a review to bring existing legislation on the conduct of comitology committees into line with Council Decision 1999/468/EC, to
	"simplify the requirements for the exercise of implementing powers conferred on the Commission".
	As an obligation to this Decision, the Commission undertook to publish an annual report on the working of committees. The first report was deposited in the Libraries of both Houses on 26 February (Com(2001)783 Final). As part of the review process, the UK Government have encouraged the Commission to produce and maintain an electronic database of every comitology committee, its agendas and recent actions, to be accessible through its website.

Committee Mandates

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what the mandate of the Advisory Committee on the definition and use of comparative technical and operating standards and specifications for the procurement of air traffic management equipment and systems is; what the annual cost of its work is to public funds; if he will list the items currently under its consideration; if he will take steps to increase its accountability and transparency to Parliament; and if he will make a statement.

David Jamieson: The Committee on the definition and use of comparative technical and operating standards and specifications for the procurement of air traffic management equipment and systems is established under the provisions of Article 6 of Council Directive 93/65 EEC. The remit of the committee is to assist the Commission in laying down the procedures for the exercise of implementing powers conferred on the Commission, to make certain Eurocontrol standards mandatory at Community level. The committee meets only rarely and there has been no cost to public funds in the last 12 months. There are no matters currently under its consideration.
	Together with member states, the Commission is currently conducting a review to bring existing legislation on the conduct of comitology committees into line with Council Decision 1999/468/EC, to
	"simplify the requirements for the exercise of implementing powers conferred on the Commission".
	As an obligation to this Decision, the Commission undertook to publish an annual report on the working of committees. The first report was deposited in the Libraries of both Houses on 26 February (Com(2001)783 Final). As part of the review process, the UK Government have encouraged the Commission to produce and maintain an electronic database of every comitology committee, its agendas and recent actions, to be accessible through its website.

Committee Mandates

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what the mandate of the Committee for the adaptation to technical progress of recording equipment in road transport (tachographs) is; how many times it has met over the last 12 months; what the UK representation on it is; what the annual cost of its work is to public funds; if he will list the items currently under its consideration; if he will take steps to increase its accountability and transparency to Parliament; and if he will make a statement.

David Jamieson: The Committee for Adaptation to Technical Progress (CATP) is established under Article 18 of Regulation (EEC) 3821/85. The committee is composed of representatives of member states and is chaired by the European Commission. The remit of the committee is to consider and approve technical amendments to the tachograph—the instrument of drivers' hours enforcement. The committee has met once in the last 12 months. The last work carried out by the Committee was in connection with the specification for digital tachographs. There are currently no plans for further meetings. The UK is represented by officials from my Department and the annual cost of its work to public funds is about £1,000.
	Together with member states, the Commission is currently conducting a review to bring existing legislation on the conduct of comitology committees into line with Council Decision 1999/468/EC, to
	"simplify the requirements for the exercise of implementing powers conferred on the Commission".
	As an obligation to this Decision, the Commission undertook to publish an annual report on the working of committees. The first report was deposited in the Libraries of both Houses on 26 February (Com(2001)783 Final). As part of the review process, the UK Government have encouraged the Commission to produce and maintain an electronic database of every comitology committee, its agendas and recent actions, to be accessible through its website.

Committee Mandates

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what the mandate of the committee for a transparent system of harmonised rules for restrictions on heavy goods vehicles involved in international transport on designated roads is; how many times it has met over the last 12 months; what the UK representation on it is; what the annual cost of its work is to public funds; if he will list the items currently under its consideration; if he will take steps to increase its accountability and transparency to Parliament; and if he will make a statement.

David Jamieson: No such committee exists. In May 1998 the European Commission published a proposal for a Council directive on a transparent system of rules for driving restrictions on heavy goods vehicles involved in international transport on designated roads. The proposal made provision for an advisory committee composed of representatives of the member states and chaired by the Commission. The proposed directive was never adopted.
	Together with member states, the Commission is currently conducting a review to bring existing legislation on the conduct of comitology committees into line with Council decision 1999/468/EC, to
	"simplify the requirements for the exercise of implementing powers conferred on the Commission".
	As an obligation to this decision, the Commission undertook to publish an annual report on the working of committees. The first report was deposited in the Libraries of both Houses on 26 February (Com (2001) 783 Final). As part of the review process, the UK Government have encouraged the Commission to produce and maintain an electronic database of every comitology committee, its agendas and recent actions, to be accessible through its website.

Committee Mandates

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what the mandate of the Advisory Committee on Transport is; how many times it has met over the last 12 months; what the UK representation on it is; what the annual cost of its work is to public funds; if he will list the items currently under its consideration; if he will take steps to increase its accountability and transparency to Parliament; and if he will make a statement.

David Jamieson: This committee was established under the provisions of Council Decision 78/174/EEC of 20 February 1978 instituting a consultation procedure and setting up a committee in the field of transport infrastructure. But the Council Decision was repealed by decision No. 1692/96/EC of 23 July 1996 on Community guidelines for the development of the trans-European transport network. And the committee established under the 1978 Decision has been replaced by the committee provided for under Article 18 of the 1996 Decision.

Committee Mandates

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what the mandate of the Committee on implementation of Protocol 9 to the Act of Accession of Austria concerning transport by road and rail and combined transport (Ecopoints) is; how many times it has met over the last 12 months; what the UK representation on it is; what the annual cost of its work is to public funds; if he will list the items currently under its consideration; if he will take steps to increase its accountability and transparency to Parliament; and if he will make a statement.

David Jamieson: The Ecopoint system governs the transit through Austria by EU heavy goods vehicles. The Ecopoints Management Committee is established under the provisions of Article 16 of Protocol No. 9 of the Austrian Act of Accession and Article 4 of the Council Decision 1992/577/EEC. The committee is composed of representatives of member states and is chaired by the European Commission. The remit of the committee is to consider—and where appropriate, to vote upon—measures proposed by the Commission concerning the administration of the Ecopoint regime. The committee has met four times in the last twelve months. The UK is represented by officials from my Department and the annual cost of its work to public funds is about £2,000. The committee is currently considering whether the 108 per cent. penalty clause needs to be invoked in 2002, the categories of transport operations that should be exempted from the regime and improved procedures for dealing with infringements.
	Together with member states, the Commission is currently conducting a review to bring existing legislation on the conduct of comitology committees into line with Council Decision 1999/468/EC, to
	"simplify the requirements for the exercise of implementing powers conferred on the Commission".
	As an obligation to this decision, the Commission undertook to publish an annual report on the working of committees. The first report was deposited in the Libraries of both Houses on 26 February (Com (2001) 783 Final). As part of the review process, the UK Government have encouraged the Commission to produce and maintain an electronic database of every comitology committee, its agendas and recent actions, to be accessible through its website.

Committee Mandates

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what the mandate of the EU-Switzerland Transport Committee (rail and road) is; how many times it has met over the last 12 months; what the UK representation on it is; what the annual cost of its work is to public funds; if he will list the items currently under its consideration; if he will take steps to increase its accountability and transparency to Parliament; and if he will make a statement.

David Jamieson: The committee in question did not meet in the last 12 months. It was established by the EU Switzerland Transit Agreement of 1992. However, the Transit Agreement has been superseded by the new EU Switzerland Agreement which is due to enter into force on 1 June 2002. That agreement provides for the establishment of a Joint Management (Transport) Committee, the function of which will be to ensure proper implementation of the agreement. No date has been set for its inaugural meeting. It will operate in accordance with the EU rules on comitology.

Committee Mandates

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what the mandate of the Advisory Committee for the application of uniform principles on costing for railway undertakings is; how many times it has met over the last 12 months; what the UK representation on it is; what the annual cost of its work is to public funds; if he will list the items currently under its consideration; if he will take steps to increase its accountability and transparency to Parliament; and if he will make a statement.

David Jamieson: I have not been able to identify the Advisory Committee in question from the information provided by the hon. Member.

Committee Mandates

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what the mandate of the Committee on the driving licence is; how many times it has met over the last 12 months; what the UK representation on it is; what the annual cost of its work is to public funds; if he will list the items currently under its consideration; if he will take steps to increase its accountability and transparency to Parliament; and if he will make a statement.

David Jamieson: The Committee on the driving licence is mandated under Article 1.2 of Council directive 97/26/EEC amending directive 91/439/EEC on driving licences. Its mandate extends considering possible changes in driving licence arrangements in the light of scientific and technical progress.
	The committee has met once in the past 12 months. The UK is represented on the committee by an official of my Department, at a cost to public funds in the past 12 months of less than £1,000.
	The committee is currently considering a number of scientific studies undertaken by the Commission into such aspects as drivers' vision and vehicle adaptations for disabled drivers.
	If, as a result of the committee's work, some new legislative proposal emerged with significant implications for the UK, we would inform the Scrutiny Committees.
	Together with member states, the Commission is currently conducting a review to bring existing legislation on the conduct of comitology committees into line with Council decision 1999/468/EC, to
	"simplify the requirements for the exercise of implementing powers conferred on the Commission".
	As an obligation to this decision, the Commission undertook to publish an annual report on the working of committees. The first report was deposited in the Libraries of both Houses on 26 February (Com (2001) 783 Final). As part of the review process, the UK Government have encouraged the Commission to produce and maintain an electronic database of every comitology committee, its agendas and recent actions, to be accessible through its website.

Committee Mandates

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what the mandate of the Advisory Committee for the harmonisation and comparability of the accounting and annual accounts of railway undertakings is; how many times it has met over the last 12 months; what the UK representation on it is; what the annual cost of its work is to public funds; if he will list the items currently under its consideration; if he will take steps to increase its accountability and transparency to Parliament; and if he will make a statement.

David Jamieson: The Council Decision of 13 May 1965 (OJ No88, 24.5.1965, pl473), which established this committee, is no longer in force. The committee has not met in the last twelve months.

Committee Mandates

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what the mandate of the Committee for the adaptation to technical progress of roadworthiness tests of vehicles is; how many times it has met over the last 12 months; what the UK representation on it is; what the annual cost of its work is to public funds; if he will list the items currently under its consideration; if he will take steps to increase its accountability and transparency to Parliament; and if he will make a statement.

David Jamieson: The Committee for the Adaptation to Technical Progress of Roadworthiness of Vehicles is mandated to approve technical amendments to the European Union Directive which prescribes the content of "MOT" tests across Europe. It has met once in the past 12 months when it was attended by two staff from my Department, a cost of less than £1,000. If, as a result of the committee's work, some new proposal emerged with significant implications for the UK we would inform the Scrutiny Committees.
	Together with member states, the Commission is currently conducting a review to bring existing legislation on the conduct of comitology committees into line with Council Decision 1999/468/EC, to
	"simplify the requirements for the exercise of implementing powers conferred on the Commission".
	As an obligation to this Decision, the Commission undertook to publish an annual report on the working of committees. The first report was deposited in the Libraries of both Houses on 26 February (Com (2001) 783 Final). As part of the review process, the UK Government have encouraged the Commission to produce and maintain an electronic database of every comitology committee, its agendas and recent actions, to be accessible through its website.

Green Transport

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what measures he has introduced to support environmentally friendly transport, with particular reference to rural areas.

David Jamieson: The Government have introduced a range of measures to encourage environmentally friendly transport. These include lower fuel duties for cleaner fuels; reduced vehicle excise duty and lower company car tax for cars that emit less CO2; and grants under the 'TransportAction' programme to help car owners, hauliers and transport operators to buy or convert vehicles to run on cleaner fuels such as LPG and natural gas.
	In February the DTI announced its 'LPG Boost' to the TransportAction programme, an initiative to increase the number of LPG converters in rural areas and further raise awareness of this cleaner fuel.

Public Service Vehicles

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what plans he has (a) to update the Public Service Vehicles (Conduct of Drivers, Inspectors, Conductors and Passengers) Regulations 1990 and (b) to issue guidance to the operators of public service vehicles in relation to the reasonable precautions to be taken to ensure safety of passengers after they have entered a vehicle but before they have become seated.

David Jamieson: The Public Service Vehicles (Conduct of Drivers, Inspectors, Conductors and Passengers) Regulations 1990 are currently being amended to reflect the introduction of regulated buses and coaches under the Disability Discrimination Act. The changes apply to the use of equipment fitted to the vehicle such as ramps and lifts, additional duties towards disabled people carried in the vehicle and to the carriage of assistance dogs. The amending regulations will be laid shortly, and will apply to regulated buses and coaches from September.
	As explained in my written answer to the hon. Member on 8 May 2002, Official Report, column 220W, bus drivers and conductors (where present) are already required to take all reasonable precautions to ensure the safety of passengers who are on, or who are entering or leaving, the vehicle. This regulation is long-established and well understood and we see no need to issue guidance to operators.

London Underground

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what the maximum annual bonus is that he estimates will be achievable under each of the three PPP contracts; and what the maximum annual penalty is that can be levied on each of the three PPP consortia.

David Jamieson: holding answer 14 May 2002
	London Underground is responsible for the PPP contracts for the modernisation of the underground's infrastructure. Under these contracts, the performance of the private sector infrastructure companies will be measured in terms of the capacity, reliability and ambience of the travelling environment they deliver on the tube network. Payments will increase as performance improves.
	There is no cap on the maximum annual penalty that can be levied under the tube modernisation contracts. Indeed, if performance deteriorates below set levels, the rate at which the contractor is penalised increases. Ultimately, poor performance could result in the contractor defaulting on the contract.

Railways

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions how much the Strategic Rail Authority has spent (a) on its own account and (b) in grants to organisations on feasibility studies into the possible re-opening of closed railway lines; and if he will make a statement.

David Jamieson: The table indicates how much the Strategic Rail Authority has spent, or committed to spend, on feasibility studies into the re-opening of closed lines.
	
		
			 Project Approximate cost (£) 
		
		
			 West Midlands Capacity Study 100,000 
			 East Coast Main Line-related routes 1,000,000 
			 East London Line Extension 4,000,000 
			 Matlock to Buxton 190,000 
		
	
	The authority is considering giving support to a number of other schemes.

Disabled Access (Railway Stations)

Archie Norman: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what cost estimates have been prepared by the Strategic Rail Authority in relation to ensuring that all stations conform with the provisions of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 by 2004.

David Jamieson: Station operators are responsible for ensuring that their stations meet the requirements of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995.

Rail Safety

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions when he will publish the draft legislation to take forward the recommendations of Lord Cullen's inquiry into rail safety.

Stephen Byers: The only recommendations which are likely to require primary legislation are those concerning the Rail Accident Investigation Branch and the Rail Industry Safety Body. In the case of the Rail Industry Safety Body, however, the Rail Regulator may be able to establish this through licence changes, in which case primary legislation will not be needed. We will publish proposals for any legislation that is required in the current Session.

Rail Safety

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions how many people died as a result of railway crashes in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

David Jamieson: Information held by the Health and Safety Executive on the number of train incident fatalities each year since 1997 is contained in the table.
	
		
			  Passengers Railway staff Other people(6) Totals 
		
		
			 2001–02 0 0 5 5 
			 2000–01 10 4 3 17 
			 1999–2000 29 2 2 33 
			 1998–99 0 0 3 3 
			 1997–98 7 0 3 10 
		
	
	(6) Pedestrians, car drivers, cyclists

Road Accidents

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions 
	(1)  how many people died as a result of road crashes which occurred on (a) 10 January, (b) 10 February, (c) 10 March and (d) 10 April;
	(2)  on how many days in the last 12 months the number of people killed in road crashes totalled (a) seven and (b) more than seven; and what the highest number was on a single day;
	(3)  how many people died as a result of road crashes in each of the last five years for which figures are available;
	(4)  what the average number of people who died each day as a result of road crashes in the last 12 months for which figures are available is;
	(5)  how many people died as a result of road crashes which occurred on 10 May.

David Jamieson: Numbers killed in road accidents in Great Britain in each of the last five years for which figures are available:
	
		
			  Killed 
		
		
			 1996 3,598 
			 1997 3,599 
			 1998 3,421 
			 1999 3,423 
			 2000 3,409 
		
	
	In 2000 the average number of people who died each day as a result of road crashes in Great Britain was nine.
	The numbers of people who died in 2000 as a result of road crashes in Great Britain which occurred on the dates requested are as follows:
	10 January: 8
	10 February: 9
	10 March: 13
	10 April: 16
	10 May: 16.
	There were 41 days in 2000 when exactly seven people were killed in road crashes. In addition, there were 239 days when the number of people killed in road crashes was greater than seven. In 2000, the highest number of road deaths on a single day was 22.

Motorways

Mark Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if the impact of noise on schools is part of the criteria used to consider noise reduction programmes on motorways.

David Jamieson: Following consultation on establishing priorities for the resurfacing of concrete trunk roads, one of the agreed criteria is to give priority to those sites where treatment would benefit the greatest number of people. Although not mentioned specifically, schools are generally found in areas of high population density, which would be given priority under the agreed criteria.

Number Plates

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions how many refusals of transfer of cherished plates have been made, and on what basis refusals were made, in the latest year for which figures are available.

David Jamieson: No information is kept on the number of cherished transfer applications that are refused. This information could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Number Plates

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions how many cherished number plates were transferred and how much was received by the Government for transfer of cherished plates in the last year for which figures are available.

David Jamieson: The number of cherished transfer applications processed in the UK in financial year 2000–01 was some 259,400. The total fees from those transactions was some £21.4 million.

Vehicle Licensing and Registration

Paul Goggins: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what targets he has set for the (a) Drivers' Standards Agency, (b) Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency, (c) Vehicle Certification Agency and (d) Vehicle Inspectorate for 2002–03.

David Jamieson: I have set the following key targets for the agencies:
	The key targets for the Driving Standards Agency are:
	Contribute to a 40 per cent. reduction in riders and drivers killed or seriously injured in road accidents in the age group up to age 24 years by 2010, compared with the average for 1994–98.
	Further expand and develop our programme of pre-driver education to deliver 4,500 presentations to 17 to 19-year-olds in schools, colleges and other institutions, such as the Ministry of Defence, subject to continued funding by DTLR.
	90 per cent. of all customers to be satisfied with the overall level of service received from the agency.
	95 per cent. of all candidates to have obtained a theory test appointment at their preferred test centre within two weeks of their preferred date.
	The national average practical car test waiting time will be no more than six weeks.
	Keep 99.5 per cent. of practical test appointments that are in place two days prior to the test appointment.
	Following routing by call handling system, 90 per cent. of calls to theory test and practical test booking offices will be answered by a human voice in no more than 20 seconds.
	Introduce a mandatory development route for all new managers in DSA. Review skill levels of existing managers against this new training framework, ensuring that 50 per cent. of all managers have completed this assessment by March 2003.
	Use examiner resource efficiently by achieving an average examiner utilisation for car practical tests of 80 per cent.
	Reduce sick absence to 5 per cent. by December 2002.
	Achieve a 2.6 per cent. return on capital employed in 2002–03.
	Increase the basket of fees by 1.7 per cent. within the cumulative RPI target.
	The key targets for the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency are:
	To achieve a 2.5 per cent. efficiency gain.
	To complete 95 per cent. of new vehicle registrations and changes to a registration document transactions in 12 days.
	To complete 95 per cent. of vehicle excise duty (VED) refunds in 30 working days.
	To complete 95 per cent. of ordinary driving licence transactions in 10 working days.
	To complete 95 per cent. of vocational and provisional driving licence transactions in eight working days.
	To complete 95 per cent. of cherished transfer transactions in seven working days.
	To deliver 95 per cent. of written replies to queries in seven working days.
	To answer 95 per cent. of telephone calls in 30 seconds.
	To answer 95 per cent. of e-mail inquiries within three working days.
	To have lines available to the call centre during 96 per cent. of working hours.
	To produce 97.5 per cent. of new vehicle registration documents, changes to registration documents and driving licences without agency induced errors.
	To complete 720,00 VED enforcement cases.
	The key targets for the Vehicle Certification Agency are:
	To achieve at least break even on the operating surplus.
	To have at least 98 per cent. of approval certificates issued error free.
	To achieve a score of at least 18 on the quality and service matrix.
	To ensure that the figure for average debtor days is 60 calendar days or less.
	To ensure that invoices for Management System Certification work are issued within an average of 25 working days after completion of the chargeable work.
	To establish by March 2003 a new, regularly monitored customer satisfaction index with a benchmark score.
	The key targets for the Vehicle Inspectorate are:
	To deliver against an effectiveness and quality improvement programme.
	To deliver effective road safety and environmental standards activity as agreed with DTLR.
	To deliver initiatives across VI and DVO to provide a seamless service to customers.
	To break even year on year and achieve a 6 per cent. real rate of return on capital, over the period 1 April 1998 to 31 March 2003.
	To increase value for money.
	To improve performance management across the business.
	To secure the long term development of the organisation.
	These key targets are under-pinned by further detailed delivery targets.

Bus Services

Clive Efford: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will make a statement on the role of bus services in the delivery of the Government plans for transport in London.

Sally Keeble: The Government's 10-year plan for transport makes clear that we share with the Mayor of London a broad approach to improving transport in London which includes delivering increased public transport capacity and efficiency. The plan envisages the delivery of high quality standards on all major bus corridors, improved bus frequencies and other service enhancements. The Mayor's Transport Strategy and Transport for London's Business Plan contain specific proposals for such improvements and Transport for London are in the process of delivering them.

Councillors

Anne Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions when he intends to make regulations under the Local Government Act 2000 in relation to handling at local level any allegations that councillors have breached codes of conduct.

Nick Raynsford: I intend to publish very shortly a consultation paper with a proposed framework for handling at local level allegations of breaches of the code of conduct. The framework will help to promote high standards of conduct among local councillors, and will provide sensible and efficient procedures for resolving any allegations of misconduct.
	Copies of the consultation paper will be sent to local authorities, and will be placed in the Libraries of the House.

Pathfinder Project

Neil Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what support is being made available to the low demand pathfinder project announced on 10 April.

Stephen Byers: I am today announcing that we are to invest £25 million in the nine low demand pathfinder projects. This investment is being financed from the Capital Modernisation Fund.
	The funding will be made available in shares of £2.66 million to each pathfinder project with £1 million used for collective monitoring and evaluation of projects. This will enable each pathfinder to start early the process of preparing the strategic plan that will inform current and future investment in the pathfinder area. The strategic plan will include proposals for action for a 10 to 15-year period designed to transform the area. It will also be essential to see evidence that other non-housing spend is being brought to bear to ensure that a comprehensive and coherent approach is being taken to renewal.
	The Government are determined to tackle the problem of low demand. This investment will speed up the necessary preparatory work, facilitate establishing local delivery vehicles and allow urgent action to be taken.

Fire Service

Mark Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if the new national procurement for radio systems in the fire service will replace the regionally based system of procurement.

Alan Whitehead: Yes. Statutory responsibility for equipping fire brigades rests with local fire authorities but it is the intention that the new national procurement of replacement wide area radio systems should be in place of existing regional procurements.

Fire Service

Mark Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if the national procurement for radio systems in the fire service will provide funding for infrastructure and terminal equipment and through life support; and what funding is available for the system.

Alan Whitehead: On 7 May I announced the procurement of a national radio communications system for the fire service in England and Wales, for which the Government are prepared to manage, support and fully fund a new national competition. The costs of the procurement exercise will depend on the response of the market. We are discussing the implications of the new strategy with fire service interests.

Health and Safety Executive

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions how many staff were employed in the Health and Safety Executive at 1 April; and what proportion of those staff have clinical contact with NHS patients.

Alan Whitehead: At 1 April 2002 the Health and Safety Executive employed 4,099 staff; none of whom would normally have clinical contact with NHS patients.

Flood Plains

Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what plans he has to revise planning guidance in relation to flood plains to conform with the recent findings of the UK climate impacts programme.

Sally Keeble: The Government will review Planning Policy Guidance Note 25 "Development and flood risk" in 2004, three years after its publication, in the light of further evidence then available on climate change and emerging experience of its implementation and effectiveness.
	As was indicated in PPG 25, planning authorities and the Environment Agency are expected to take account of the potential effects reported by the UK climate impacts programme. The implications of the UKCIP2002 scenarios in respect of flooding are expected to be available this summer.

Rural Population

Colin Breed: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will estimate the proportion of the population increase projected by his Department that relates to rural areas; and how many additional households are expected to be formed by 2016.

Sally Keeble: The latest sub-national projections for England are the 1996-based projections prepared by the Office for National Statistics. Between 1996 and 2016 the population in those local authorities categorised by my Department as "deep rural" or "mixed rural" is projected to rise by 38 per cent. of the national increase. Over the same time period, the number of households in these local authorities is projected to rise by 0.88 million. This is 28 per cent. of the projected national increase.

Starter Home Initiative

Colin Breed: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions how many key workers will receive financial support from the Starter Home Initiative; and how much will be allocated to key workers in rural areas.

Sally Keeble: We are providing £250 million for the Starter Home Initiative (SHI) which aims to help around 10,000 key workers into home ownership. £230 million SHI funding was allocated to local scheme providers in September 2001 following a competitive bidding process. This included some £8.7 million allocated to schemes that proposed to help key workers to buy homes in small rural settlements with a population of 3,000 or less. We expect to announce the allocation of the remaining £20 million SHI funding to successful bidders later this month.

Emergency Services

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, pursuant to his answer of 2 May 2002, Official Report, column 903W, on emergency calls services, how many subscribers on each BT exchange lost their service on Thursday 25 April, and for what period of time; what contingency plans are agreed with the Hampshire police for the breakdown of services to notify police control room; if he will place such plans in the Library; which police stations were closed for the duration of the breakdown; what the source was of his information that callers on the Isle of Wight would have been able to make 999 calls; who informed (a) the police and (b) BT of the breakdown; and who was responsible for notifying members of the public of the arrangements in place for 999 calls during the breakdown period.

Alan Whitehead: 77 sub-sections on the Southampton exchange were affected. Service to 80 per cent. of customers was restored by midnight and to the remainder by 3.55 am.
	Contingency arrangements are set out in the code of practice for the public emergency call service between public network operators and the emergency services and the brochure "Loss of Access to BT's Public 999 Services". Copies of these two documents have been placed in the Library.
	I understand from the Hampshire and Isle of Wight police that instructions were issued for all police stations to remain open or to reopen but in the case of Cowes, which shuts at 6 pm, it was not possible to reopen before 9.30 pm. It remained open until 2 am.
	British Telecommunications have assured me that callers in the Isle of Wight would have been able to make 999 calls. The Hampshire and Isle of Wight police and BT were aware of the breakdown at the same time and made contact with each other.
	It is the responsibility of the local emergency services, including the police, to ensure that they have contingency arrangements in place including arrangements to notify the public. These contingency arrangements will be reviewed in the light of the experience gained on 25 April in Southampton.

Social Housing

Oona King: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what information his Department has collated on the number of ex-local authority tenants who have exercised the right-to- buy after their tenancy has been transferred to a registered social landlord; and if he will make arrangements for this to be published on a regular basis.

Sally Keeble: Figures on Preserved Right-to-Buy (PRTB) sales have been collected by the Housing Corporation since 1 April 2001 through their CORE system (continuous recording of lettings and sales). The results are published every six months in the CORE sales bulletins which are deposited in the House of Commons Library. 1,356 such sales were completed in the first six months of operation.

Social Housing

Oona King: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what information his Department has collated on levels of under-occupancy in social housing in London.

Sally Keeble: Based on the 'bedroom standard', which is a well established statistical measure of under-occupancy/ overcrowding, the information requested (plus the equivalent information for England) is provided in the following table:
	
		Households in London in the social rented sector above the bedroom standard(7), 1998–99 to 2000–01(8) -- Per cent.
		
			  One bedroom above the standard Two or more bedrooms above the standard Total 
		
		
			 London 20 8 28 
			 
			 England 30 12 42 
		
	
	(7) Bedroom standard is an indicator of expected occupation density. A notional number of bedrooms are allocated to each household in accordance with its age/sex/marital status composition and the relationship of the members to each other. This is then compared with the actual number of bedrooms (including bedsitters) available for the sole use of the household.
	(8) Survey of English Housing results for three survey years 1998–99, 1999–2000, 2000–01, have been combined to give reliable estimates for London since the sample size in a single year would be insufficient.
	Source:
	Survey of English Housing, DTLR

Social Housing

Oona King: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what information his Department has collated on the range of initiatives, apart from the cash incentive scheme and HOMEBUY, local authorities and registered social landlords in London offer to encourage tenants to relinquish a tenancy on move from an under-occupied property to more suitably sized accommodation.

Sally Keeble: My Department published research and good practice guidance on underoccupation in social housing in April 2001 entitled "Managing under-occupation: A guide to good practice in social housing". The research identified and evaluated the initiatives being adopted by social landlords in England to assist under-occupiers to move to a smaller home when they want to. The research showed that social landlords in London and the south-east who are short of family sized homes are the most energetic in trying to reduce under-occupation.
	Social landlords employ a range of positive incentives from helping with the move (removal arrangements and expenses) to some form of cash payment or improvements to the property (eg redecorating, kitchen or bathroom refit, improved heating, double glazing etc.). The research showed that a combination of positive inducements and the personal approach was the most effective for encouraging moves. Specialist staff who engage with tenants on a one to one basis, discussing their requirements in detail, explaining what help and properties are available can be particularly effective at facilitating moves.
	Copies of the guidance were placed in the Libraries of the House.

Social Housing

Oona King: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what guidance his Department has issued to local authorities and the Housing Corporation since 1 May 1997 on offering tenants incentives, apart from the cash incentive scheme and HOMEBUY, to relinquish a tenancy on move from an under-occupied property to more suitably sized accommodation.

Sally Keeble: My Department published good practice guidance on managing under-occupation in social housing in April 2001 entitled "Managing under-occupation: A guide to good practice in social housing". The guidance was widely disseminated to LAs, RSLs and other key stakeholders such as the Housing Corporation. The guidance provides good practice for those social landlords who are looking to increase the supply of family sized relets by assisting under-occupiers to move to a smaller property when they want to.
	The guidance recognised that under-occupation is not necessarily a bad thing and in areas of low demand under-occupation strategies can be counter-productive. The primary concern for authorities must always be to ask "are we making the very best use of our stock" which requires looking at the problem in the wider context of Government policies on social exclusion and on building mixed and sustainable communities.
	Copies of the guidance were placed in the Libraries of the House.

Social Housing

Colin Breed: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, pursuant to his answer of 30 November 2001, Official Report, column 1162W, on social housing, how many homes were transferred from local authority ownership under (a) the right-to-buy scheme and (b) registered social landlords in (i) 1996, (ii) 1997, (iii) 1998, (iv) 1999, (v) 2000, (vi) 2001 and (vii) 2002.

Sally Keeble: The number of local authority dwellings in rural areas transferred from local authority ownership under the right to buy scheme and to registered social landlords (as reported by local authorities) in each of the years 1995–96 to 2000–01 is as follows.
	
		Number of sales and transfers in rural areas
		
			  Right to buy scheme To RSLs 
		
		
			 1995–96 6,517 18,548 
			 1996–97 6,399 10,739 
			 1997–98 7,680 7,660 
			 1998–99 6,754 26,441 
			 1999–2000 8,925 15,452 
			 2000–01 6,808 28,730 
		
	
	Note:
	Figures for 2001–02 are not yet available
	Source:
	DTLR P1(B) housing returns (quarterly)

Housing

David Lepper: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions when he expects to (a) receive and (b) publish the research which he has commissioned into shared ownership schemes for housing.

Sally Keeble: My Department received on 7 May the draft report of research we commissioned last year to look at the operation and effectiveness of the existing low cost home ownership schemes, including shared ownership. The findings, which will help inform the future direction of the low cost home ownership programme, are now being considered. We expect to publish the report by September 2002.

Housing

Colin Breed: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, pursuant to his answer of 26 February 2002, Official Report, column 1162W, on affordable housing, if he will provide the figures for 2001–02.

Sally Keeble: Figures for 2001–02 are not yet available.

Mobile Home Owners

Patsy Calton: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what provisions there are to ensure that mobile home owners are aware that they do not have the same rights for compensation for noise, dust and vibration nuisance following new road construction as conventional dwellings; and what guidance he has issued to public inquiry inspectors for new roads on this subject.

David Jamieson: Compulsory Purchase and Compensation booklets are published by my Department and made freely available at public exhibitions, inquiries and on request to those whose property may be required or affected by road construction. These booklets point out that those living in mobile homes within 300 metres of a new or altered highway may be eligible, in certain circumstances, to receive a noise payment of up to £1,650 but not to claim compensation under Part I of the Land Compensation Act 1973. Inspectors are advised not to hear any evidence about compensation.

Road Safety (Children)

Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions how many prosecutions there have been in each of the last 10 years for carrying children unprotected in the front or back seats of cars.

Bob Ainsworth: I have been asked to reply.
	Information held centrally does not distinguish between the offence of carrying in a motor vehicle a child not wearing a seat belt and the offence of not wearing a seat belt.
	Available information is given in the table. As the majority of seat belt offences are dealt with by the issue of a fixed penalty notice these are also included, along with the number of written warnings.
	
		Driving or riding in a motor vehicle while not wearing a seat belt(9): England and Wales 1991–2000
		
			  Number of prosecutions Number of fixed penalties Written warnings Total dealt with 
		
		
			 1991 12,156 (10)— (10)— (10)— 
			 1992 11,258 102,322 3,214 116,794 
			 1993 9,687 106,153 4,839 120,679 
			 1994 8,715 114,712 6,945 130,372 
			 1995 8,574 126,251 8,923 143,748 
			 1996 8,530 154,345 9,312 172,187 
			 1997 8,180 175,334 14,300 197,814 
			 1998 8,303 193,879 10,891 213,073 
			 1999 6,874 180,698 9,205 196,777 
			 2000 5,740 155,301 6,163 167,204 
		
	
	(9) Offences under sections 14(3), 15(2) and 15(4) of the Road Traffic Act 1988.
	(10) Not available.

TREASURY

Teenage Pregnancies

Liam Fox: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many teenage pregnancies there were in each of the last five years in (a) Lambeth, (b) Southwark and (c) Lewisham.

Ruth Kelly: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician. I have asked him to reply.
	Letter from Len Cook to Dr. Liam Fox, dated 16 May 2002
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent question asking how many teenage pregnancies there were in each of the last five years in (a) Lambeth (b) Southwark and (c) Lewisham. (56937)
	Figures for the latest available five years, 1996–2000, are shown in the table below.
	
		Under 18 conceptions for Lambeth, Lewisham and Southwark LBs 1996–2000
		
			  Lambeth Lewisham Southwark 
		
		
			 1996 374 305 315 
			 1997 352 302 284 
			 1998 365 319 318 
			 1999 361 305 310 
			 2000 357 275 314

National Insurance

Anthony Steen: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the estimated additional cost is to (a) Plymouth city council, (b) South Hams district council, (c) Devon county council and (d) Torbay unitary authority in the next financial year as a result of the increase in employer's national insurance contributions announced in the Budget; and what provision will be made to cover the additional costs which will be incurred.

Dawn Primarolo: It is estimated that the changes to employer NICs announced in the Budget will add around 0.7 per cent. to pay costs on average next year. The cost to the public services will be just over £1 billion which compares with a planned rise in spending on public services of nearly £20 billion. The changes will help to fund improvements to public services and a real terms increase in spending on health over the next five years of over 40 per cent.
	I regret that it is not possible to provide reliable sub-regional estimates for the national insurance changes within the disproportionate cost limits.

National Insurance

Nigel Evans: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  what he estimates to be the extra revenue generated for the Treasury due to the rise in employer national insurance rates for companies employing fewer than 50 people in each of the next four years;
	(2)  what he estimates to be the extra tax revenue generated in the first year by the rise in national insurance employer contributions to companies employing fewer than (a) 10 and (b) 20 people.

Dawn Primarolo: I regret that it would be possible to provide an estimate only at disproportionate cost.

National Insurance

Steve Webb: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will set out the basis for the assessment made in para 2.28 of the Taylor report "The Modernisation of Britain's Tax and Benefit System: Number Two" regarding the under-contribution to the NI Fund by the self-employed; what his latest estimate is of that under-contribution; if he will undertake a similar comparison between the contributions paid by married woman at the reduced rate and the benefits to which such women are entitled; and if he will make a statement.

Ruth Kelly: The latest estimate of the value of the reduction in contributions by the self-employed which is not matched by reduced benefit entitlement is in Inland Revenue Statistics table 1.5, on the Inland Revenue website (www.inlandrevenue.gov.uk/stats/tax–expenditures_g_t05_1.htm).
	The value is calculated by estimating the total employee and employer national insurance contributions which would be paid by the self-employed if they were to be subject to Class 1 contributions instead, and comparing this with the estimated total Class 2 and Class 4 contributions actually paid by the self-employed. An adjustment is made to allow for the fact that the self-employed are not eligible for certain contributory benefits, such as contribution-based jobseeker's allowance and the state second pension (or SERPS prior to April 2002).
	If a similar calculation was performed for married women who have opted to pay national insurance contributions at the reduced rate it would not show any under-contribution.

Construction Industry

Kevin McNamara: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what centrally set targets are in place for monitoring employment status in the construction industry; and on how many occasions these targets have been met in each year since 1995.

Dawn Primarolo: The Inland Revenue presently has about 64 Employer Compliance Units nationally. These units are responsible for monitoring compliance by employers and contractors, and they include dedicated employment status teams.
	Employer Compliance Units have a range of targets relating to reviews of employers and contractors. Such reviews may or may not include status issues. Status issues arise as a consequence of reviews and as such are not separately targeted.

Construction Industry

Kevin McNamara: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what measures are in place to monitor the employment status of subcontractors in the construction industry to ensure the status adheres to Inland Revenue regulations when undertaking work on Government contracts.

Dawn Primarolo: The Inland Revenue monitors the employment status of construction workers involved in Government contracts in the same way as it does in the whole of the rest of the industry, and elsewhere.

Law Enforcement Agencies

Andrew Turner: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what law enforcement agencies and prosecuting authorities designated with legislation there are within the responsibility of his Department; and what complaints procedure is available for each.

Ruth Kelly: The Inland Revenue and the Department of Customs and Excise. Each of these Departments has a three-tier complaints procedure governed by a Code of Practice, the third tier being an independent adjudicator. Complainants also have the right to complain, via an MP, to the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration.

Aviation Insurance

Jim Cousins: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what agreement has been reached for aviation insurance terrorism cover from 1 April.

Andrew Smith: The end-date for the Government's Troika aviation insurance scheme, which provides third- party war and terrorism insurance for the UK aviation industry, was extended from 31 March to 31 May.

Inheritance Tax

Paul Flynn: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  what the total revenue received by the Exchequer was in inheritance tax in each of the past five years;
	(2)  how many people were liable for inheritance tax in each of the past five years; and what percentage of the population this represents.

Dawn Primarolo: The figures are as follows:
	
		UK inheritance tax receipts and number of taxpaying estates
		
			  Receipts (£ billion) Estates(11)(thousand) 
		
		
			 1997–98 1.7 18 
			 1998–99 1.8 18 
			 1999–2000 2.0 21 
			 2000–01 2.2 22 
			 2001–02(12) 2.3 23 
		
	
	(11) Excludes about 2,000 taxpayers on lifetime transfers
	(12) Provisional
	The taxpaying estates represent about three to four in 10,000 of the UK population; or between 3 and 4 per cent. of deaths.

Anglo-Italian Meetings

Michael Weir: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer on how many occasions in the last six months (a) he and (b) his officials have met their Italian counterparts; and what subjects were discussed.

Ruth Kelly: Ministers and civil servants meet with a wide range of organisations and individuals, including their European counterparts, as part of the process of policy development and analysis. I refer to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on 4 February 2002, Official Report, column 689W stating that as with previous Administrations it is not this Government's practice to provide details of all such meetings. All such contacts are conducted in accordance with the Ministerial Code, the Civil Service Code and Guidance for Civil Servants: Contracts with Lobbyists.

Social Care

Evan Harris: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to commission a study of the trends affecting social care.

Andrew Smith: None; trends were examined in the Wanless report and by the Royal Commission on long term care commissioned by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health in 1997 (With Respect to Old Age: A Report by the Royal Commission on Long-Term Care (Cm. 4192-I); Modernising Social Services (Cm. 4169); Long-Term Care: The Government's Response to the Health Committee's Report on Long-Term Care (Cm. 4414)). Further requirements for analysis will be kept under review as part of the normal monitoring of public expenditure.

Departmental Staff (Scotland)

Annabelle Ewing: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many and what percentage of (a) civil service, (b) executive agencies and (c) non-departmental public body jobs under the remit of his Department are located in Scotland; and how many of each have been relocated to Scotland since May 1997.

Ruth Kelly: The Chancellor's civil service Departments and agencies numbers and percentage of Scottish jobs, and the number of posts relocated to Scotland since 1997 are as follows.
	
		
			 Department/agency Number of jobs in Scotland Percentage of jobs in Scotland Number of jobs relocated to Scotland 
		
		
			 Debt Management Office 0 0 0 
			 Government Actuary's Office 0 0 0 
			 HM Customs and Excise 1,215 5.26 0 
			 Inland Revenue 6,876 9.91 0 
			 National Savings 6 6 1 
			 OGC 11 2.52 0 
			 Office for National Statistics 0 0 0 
			 Royal Mint 0 0 0 
			 HM Treasury 0 0 0 
			 Valuation Office (agency) 81 2 0

Red Book

David Willetts: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his answer of 1 May 2002, Official Report, columns 882–83W, on the Budget Red Book, if he will provide figures for each column in respect of marginal deduction rates (a) over 30 per cent. (b) over 20 per cent. and (c) over 10 per cent.

Ruth Kelly: The following table shows estimates of the number of families facing marginal deduction of (a) over 30 per cent. (b) over 20 per cent. and (c) over 10 per cent.
	
		Number of households facing MDRs (cumulative)
		
			 Marginal deduction rate Before Budget 1998 2002–03 system of tax and benefits After introduction of NTCs 
		
		
			 Over 30 per cent. 810,000 1,200,000 1,960,000 
			 Over 20 per cent. 820,000 1,210,000 2,040,000 
			 Over 10 per cent. 830,000 1,235,000 2,050,000 
		
	
	The figures in the table, which cover the number of households in receipt of either income related benefits of the working families tax credit (WFTC) or new tax credits from April 2003, where at least one person works at least 16 hours or more, include the effects of income tax and national insurance contributions, and the withdrawal of housing benefit and council tax benefit.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Ministerial Visits

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has for ministerial visits to (a) Syria, (b) Lebanon, (c) United Arab Emirates, (d) Oman and (e) Qatar.

Ben Bradshaw: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has no plans at present to visit Syria, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar or the United Arab Emirates. I have, however, visited Syria on 23 July 2001, Lebanon on 24 July 2001, Qatar on 16 October 2001 and the United Arab Emirates on 18 March 2002. I have no plans at present to re-visit them, but hope to visit Oman when I can.

Criminal Offences

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many criminal offences have been (a) created and (b) abolished by his Department since 1997.

Jack Straw: A comprehensive and exhaustive list of new and abolished offences could be provided only at disproportionate cost. We can, however, provide the following information about FCO legislation that has been enacted since 1 May 1997. All relevant FCO legislation in this time has been concerned with the implementation of international treaties in United Kingdom law.
	The International Criminal Court Act 2001 created new offences of genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity. These replaced earlier offences wholly (for genocide) or partly (for war crimes).
	The United Nations Personnel Act 1997 created new offences of attacking UN personnel, premises and vehicles.
	The Landmines Act 1998 created new offences of possessing or using landmines.
	The Nuclear Explosions (Prohibition and Inspections) Act 1998 created new offences of obstructing on-site investigations and causing a nuclear explosion.

Ministerial Meetings

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the meetings held between (a) himself, (b) the staff at his Department and (c) British diplomatic staff with representatives of (i) the Italian Government and (ii) the Vatican since 22 April, including the participants of each meeting, the subjects discussed and the conclusions agreed upon; and if he will make a statement.

Peter Hain: My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister was in touch with Prime Minister Berlusconi on 7 May. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs and I most recently met Prime Minister Berlusconi at the General Affairs Council in Brussels. We are regularly in touch with the Italian Government bilaterally and in multilateral fora on a range of issues. The Foreign Secretary has not met Vatican representatives recently, but officials are in regular touch.

Middle East

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the failure of the proposed UN fact-finding mission to Jenin on the future avoidance of conflict in the middle east.

Ben Bradshaw: We regret the failure of the Israeli Government to co-operate with the UN to allow the deployment of the fact-finding team. The UN General Assembly has nevertheless asked the Secretary-General to present a report on the recent events that took place in Jenin and in other Palestinian cities. We look forward to this.
	As the Secretary-General has said, there is a long shadow cast by events in Jenin but this should not be allowed to derail other peace efforts. The agreements to resolve the crises in Bethlehem and Ramallah are examples of practical international support which have led to progress. The international community is committed to working with the parties to build on these initiatives. The priority remains to implement recent UN Security Council Resolutions, establish a ceasefire and resume negotiations.

Film Council

Barry Gardiner: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the UK Film Council to increase its profile abroad.

Denis MacShane: None, but officials in Trade Partners UK and in FCO posts overseas along with colleagues in the British Council, work closely with the UK Film Council on its export promotion strategies.

Saudi Arabia

Andrew Miller: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on United Kingdom citizens detained in Saudi Arabia.

Ben Bradshaw: holding answer 14 May 2002
	I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Strathkelvin and Bearsden (Mr. Lyons) on 9 May 2002, Official Report, column 308W.

Gibraltar

Louise Ellman: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with Spain concerning joint command of Britain's naval base in Gibraltar.

Peter Hain: I refer my hon. Friend to my statement in the House on 16 April 2002, Official Report, column 451, where I said
	"we will retain our full control over the military base on the Rock".

Convention on the Future of Europe

Richard Spring: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what position the Government will be taking on the proposal in the Convention on the Future of Europe that the Charter of Fundamental Rights should be inserted in the treaties; what discussions he has had about this with other member states and other institutions; and if he will make a statement.

Peter Hain: The Government welcome the European Convention's decision to set up a Working Group to look at the Charter's status and address the legal and practical issues arising from the question of whether, and if so how, the Charter should be included in the treaties. The Government will seek to be represented on this group.

Convention on the Future of Europe

Richard Spring: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what position the Government will be taking on the proposal in the Convention on the Future of Europe that the European Union should be given full legal personality; what discussions he has had on the matter with other member states and other institutions; what assessment the Government have made of the effects of giving the European Union full legal personality; and if he will make a statement.

Peter Hain: Although legal personality has not yet been discussed in the Convention on the Future of Europe, it will be on the agenda of one of a preliminary round of six working groups to commence in June.
	As with other issues discussed in the Convention, the Government will both set out their ideas on legal personality, and hear the views of the other members at the Convention.

Rough Diamonds

Jenny Tonge: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent progress has been made with the establishment of a global certification scheme for rough diamonds.

Denis MacShane: Government, industry and civil society negotiators drawing up the international certification scheme for rough diamonds (the Kimberley Process) have agreed on nearly all outstanding issues. The scheme is designed to ensure a Government-issued certificate attesting to the legitimacy of the contents accompanies each shipment of rough diamonds. The intention is to implement the scheme by the end of 2002, at a date to be agreed at the next meeting in November. Participants are meanwhile devising national action plans to ensure they are ready to effect full implementation by that date.

Committee Mandates

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the mandate of the Committee on Implementation of the Programme of Assistance to Promote the Transition to a Market Economy and to Strengthen Democracy and the Rule of Law in the Partner States of Eastern Europe and Central Asia is; how many times it has met over the last 12 months; what the UK representation on it is; what the annual cost of its work is to public funds; if he will list the items currently under its consideration; if he will take steps to increase its accountability and transparency to Parliament; and if he will make a statement.

Clare Short: I have been asked to reply. 
	The committee is responsible for oversight of the EC programme of technical assistance to the Commonwealth of Independent States (TACIS). It has met four times over the past 12 months and the next meeting will take place on 23 May 2002. Officials from my Department and members of the staff of the United Kingdom Representation in Brussels represent the United Kingdom on the committee. Over the past 12 months the cost to public funds has been approximately £2,500.
	The items currently under its consideration are those on the agenda for the forthcoming meeting. These are annual programmes of assistance for 2002 for Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan and Russia, thematic research programmes for 2002 and support to national co-ordinating units in programme countries. The committee will also receive information on future programming orientations for Central Asia and the Northern Dimension Environmental Partnership Support Fund.
	Together with member states, the Commission is currently conducting a review to bring existing legislation on the conduct of comitology committees into line with Council Decision 1999/486/EC, to
	"simplify the requirements for the exercise of implementing powers conferred on the Commission".
	As an obligation under this decision, the commission undertook to publish an annual report on the working of committees. The first report was deposited in the Libraries of both Houses on 26 February (Commission Document 5685/02). As part of the review process, the UK Government have encouraged the Commission to produce and maintain an electronic database of every comitology committee, its agendas and recent actions, to be accessible through its website.

ENVIRONMENT FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Foot and Mouth

Peter Luff: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on her policy on compensation to those indirectly affected by the foot and mouth disease epidemic in 2001.

Margaret Beckett: There is no statutory provision for such compensation nor can the Government be the insurer of last resort. The Government did of course help rural business and communities through a series of support measures to aid recovery from the impact of FMD.

Foot and Mouth

Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many overnight stays were undertaken by her officials working on the foot and mouth epidemic.

Margaret Beckett: holding answer 7 May 2002
	The information requested is not readily available and could not be obtained without disproportionate cost. I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by the Under-Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, my hon. Friend the Member for Scunthorpe (Mr. Morley), on 29 April 2002, Official Report, column 552W, which gave details of the total amount of overnight subsistence for staff working on the foot and mouth crisis.

Parish Councils

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the categorisation of the activity of parish councils as set out in the recent rural White Paper and the Countryside Agency's "State of the Countryside" report 2001.

Alun Michael: I refer the hon. Member to my letter of 21 March to all MPs which set out the background to the communities' vibrancy issue and made clear that the communities' vibrancy indicator is not a measure of parish council activities. This Government are breaking new ground in actively promoting the role and importance of parish councils and I hope the hon. Gentleman will endorse and support our initiatives.

Sustainable Development Summit

David Borrow: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the consultations she is undertaking prior to the world summit on sustainable development.

Margaret Beckett: DEFRA has funded UNED-UK to carry out a stakeholder consultation exercise which has involved over 350 groups representing civil society. A business adviser has been seconded to DEFRA to liaise with the business community on WSSD. We are also working through the Development and Environment Group of BOND (British Overseas NGOs for Development) to exchange views with NGOs, and the Local Government International Bureau has been a member of the official UK delegation at the preparatory meetings.

Sustainable Development Summit

John Grogan: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on progress in domestic and global preparations for the world summit on sustainable development.

Michael Meacher: Preparations for WSSD both in the UK and globally are well under way. We are currently in the process of preparing for the Ministerial-Level Preparatory Committee (known as Prepcom IV) in Indonesia on 24 May to 7 June at which I will lead the UK delegation. This meeting will continue work started at the last Prepcom on the proposed Programme of Action to deliver global sustainable development. It will also start work on the political declaration for the summit.

Mink

Andrew Robathan: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what her policy is on the control of mink.

Alun Michael: The responsibility for the control of wild mink rests with those people most likely to benefit from such control, the individual landowners and occupiers. Predation by mink has been a factor in the decline of our native water vole population. The Government's Biodioversity Action Plan for water vole encourages control of mink where they pose a threat to water vole populations.

Sheep

Roger Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the sheep quota national reserve for 2003.

Alun Michael: As we have already announced, there will be no allocation of Sheep Annual Premium Quota from the National Reserve for 2003. However we are making arrangements to ensure that producers who would have been eligible to apply to the 2003 Reserve will be able to apply to the 2004 Reserve.

Marine Environment

Mark Lazarowicz: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what measures she is taking to protect the marine environment of the seas around the United Kingdom.

Michael Meacher: The first Marine Stewardship report was published on 1 May. It sets out our strategy for the conservation and sustainable development of our marine environment. Copies have been placed in the Library of the House.

Fuel Poverty

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the fuel poverty strategy.

Michael Meacher: The UK Fuel Poverty Strategy, published in November last year, set out the government's goal to seek an end to fuel poverty, with the first target to ensure that by 2010, no vulnerable household need risk ill health due to a cold home.
	The strategy's aim is to improve the energy efficiency of fuel poor households, to maintain the downward pressure on fuel bills, to tackle poverty and social exclusion.

Waste and Packaging Directives

Sue Doughty: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on discussions between her Department and the European Commission regarding the implementation of European waste and packaging directives.

Michael Meacher: The UK has been fully involved in the current negotiations on the European Commission's proposal for a directive amending Directive 94/62/EC on packaging and packaging waste.

Draft Water Bill

Stephen Ladyman: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the Government response to the consultation on the draft Water Bill.

Margaret Beckett: My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State, announced the publication of the Government Response to the draft Water Bill consultation on Thursday 2 May.
	The Water Bill aims to ensure improved management of our water resources; place consumers at the heart of a more open and accountable regulatory process and increase the powers of courts and the Regulators to level appropriate financial penalties on water companies. In addition, the Bill will contain provisions for extending competition for users of large amounts of water.
	The consultation response considered in detail more than 150 responses and following this, a number of amendments will be made to the draft Water Bill. The main changes are; firstly that Ofwat will be governed by a Regulatory Board rather than an individual Director General, along similar lines to other economic regulators. This is instead of the Advisory Panel proposed in the Draft Bill. Secondly, the Director General's duties to ensure that companies can secure "reasonable returns on their capital" will not be altered. And thirdly the Director General of Water Services will be given a sustainable development duty. While this will not alter the Director General's purpose or aims, it will oblige him to be mindful of social and environmental concerns, when exercising his functions as economic regulator of the industry. The Director General supports these changes.

Timber

Ian Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps she will take to ensure that timber procured by Government is from well managed, sustainable sources.

Elliot Morley: The Government is actively engaged in implementing its policy of seeking to procure its timber and timber products from sustainable and legal sources, DEFRA is monitoring progress and will be issuing further guidance to central government departments and their agencies.

Timber

Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when the Government adopted their timber procurement policy.

Margaret Beckett: holding answer 7 May 2002
	The Government's current timber procurement policy became a binding commitment for central Government Departments and their agencies with effect from 28 July 2000, following a written reply to a parliamentary question on that day by the Minister for the Environment, Official Report, column 947W. This followed the G8 summit earlier in July 2000, where in response to a UK led initiative members agreed to consider how public purchasing could help reduce illegal logging. Prior to the policy becoming a binding commitment it had been part of the model policy for greening government operations since 1997.

Waste Recycling

John Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent discussions she has had with local councils regarding the meeting of waste recycling targets.

Michael Meacher: My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State, has not had any recent discussions with particular local authorities to discuss meeting recycling statutory performance standards. However, negotiations have recently been concluded with 6 local authorities who have agreed to exceed their statutory performance standards on recycling as part of a Local Public Service Agreement. Similar discussions are currently being held with a further 5 local authorities. We have also recently received bids from a number of local authorities for the first year of the £140 million waste minimization and recycling fund.

Common Fisheries Policy

David Burnside: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the timetable for the reform of the common fisheries policy.

Elliot Morley: The Common Fisheries Policy was substantially laid down in regulations adopted in 1983 which specified an interim review in 1992 and a further review in 2002. Any changes to the regime should be decided by end 2002 for application from 2003. We expect the proposals to be produced by the end of May. We are disappointed that the proposals failed to emerge earlier since the Government is keen to begin negotiations. The Commission, however, is responsible for handling its own work programme and we must wait for them to complete their deliberations.

Common Fisheries Policy

Henry Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the European Commission's proposals for the reform of the common fisheries policy.

Elliot Morley: Our primary objective for the Common Fisheries Policy must be for a policy which is both economically and environmentally sustainable and one which involves stakeholders more closely in management decisions affecting them. Only in that way will the CFP attract support and credibility from fishermen and so ensure responsible stock management and give the promise of a viable future. I strongly agree with the Commission's conclusions in their Green Paper on the operation of the CFP that it is not meeting its objectives. The forthcoming review of the CFP will give the opportunity not only to put right what has gone wrong but also to consider how the CFP should develop over the coming years.
	We expect the proposals to be produced by the end of May. We are disappointed that the proposals failed to emerge earlier since the government is keen to begin negotiations. The Commission, however, is responsible for handling its won work programme and we must wait for them to complete their deliberations.

Fruit Industry

Hugh Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on Government support for the fruit industry.

Alun Michael: We assist the horticulture industry by funding a programme of strategic research and development worth almost £11 million per annum. For 2001–02, some £2.6 million of this spend is allocated to the soft and top fruit sector. In addition, the England Rural Development Programme, through both the Rural Enterprise Scheme and the Processing and Marketing Grant, provides opportunities for the industry to improve its competitiveness.

Small Farms Produce

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on her action to improve opportunities for small farmers to market their produce.

Alun Michael: The Policy Commission Report on Farming and Food made a number of recommendations relating to local and regional foods, which will help support and develop the opportunities for small farmers to market their produce. We have invited views on these recommendations, in order to inform our action plan for the farming and food sectors. This action plan will be launched in the autumn.
	The Government are already involved in a number of initiatives aimed at encouraging local food production and marketing. The England Rural Development Programme provides grant aid for a range of activities that may be of benefit to farmers seeking to sell produce locally. We have also assisted various local projects under the Agricultural Development Scheme, as well as supporting the National Association of Farmers' Market's training and accreditation programmes and the development of the South-West Food and Drink Organisation.
	Through Food from Britain we contribute to the funding of a network of regional food groups which provide trade development services to regional and speciality food producers, some of whom are farmers.
	We have actively encouraged the development of farmers' markets, as has the Countryside Agency which receives its grant aid from DEFRA. Farmers may also derive benefit from the Countryside Agency's "Eat the View" programme which seeks to promote local products that support sustainable land management.

Biosecurity

Alistair Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the role to be played in improved biosecurity measures by the state veterinary service.

Elliot Morley: The state veterinary service played a vital role in promoting biosecurity during the foot and mouth disease outbreak and it will continue to be a key link in the promotion of the biosecurity message.
	Local veterinary staff are providing advice relating to on-farm biosecurity when requested and this advice is particularly important when farms are restocking following the outbreak. The biosecurity message is being promoted at local meetings dealing with disease control with farmers and other stakeholders.
	The Department is planning to issue a biosecurity code of practice later in the year and will be considering a further biosecurity campaign. The state veterinary service will again play a key role in the delivery of that message.

Biosecurity

Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the financial impact of movement and biosecurity regulations on agricultural shows; and if she will make a statement.

Margaret Beckett: holding answer 7 May 2002
	The licence conditions for biosecurity at livestock shows, and the movement of animals to and from them, have been developed in close association with the shows organisers and those stakeholders who will be taking livestock to shows this year. No costings have been provided by these interests during the discussions and none have been drawn up by my Department.
	The need for strict biosecurity is keenly appreciated by the majority of show organisers. I am pleased that they are taking a responsible attitude to biosecurity to protect livestock farmers and the wider rural community from another devastating outbreak of animal disease. The rules have been drawn up on the advice of the Department's vets to minimise the risk of disease associated with the re-opening of livestock shows and they will be kept under review to ensure that they remain proportionate to the disease risk.

Agriculture (West Country)

David Heath: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she plans to visit this year's Royal Bath and West show to discuss the state of agriculture in the west country.

Elliot Morley: My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State is unable to attend this year's Royal Bath and West show due to prior engagements, but my noble Friend, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary Lords, (The Lord Whitty of Camberwell), will be visiting on 31 May.

Dairy Industry

Desmond Swayne: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the prospects for the dairy industry.

Elliot Morley: The current low price of milk has undoubtedly reduced the income of many dairy farmers to levels that appear unsustainable in the long term. However, this low price has largely been caused by factors that are temporary in nature, most notably, oversupply of raw milk in the UK and the weakness of EU and world markets for dairy products.
	For the longer term, it is likely that the next round of WTO agriculture negotiations will further restrict the use of export subsidies and the increasing exposure of EU markets to world markets. In addition, enlargement of the EU is likely to lead to pressure on the Community budget, if the CAP is not reformed.
	In order to produce a sustainable dairy industry that can compete successfully on the growing world market for dairy products, the industry must be given the opportunity to trade free of artificial constraints imposed by the WTO, as well as by the EU dairy regime. The EU price support system is focused on butter and skimmed milk powder, both in clear surplus, hampering the development of the most efficient farmers and represent significant financial burden to most farmers.
	The Government therefore favour the orderly phasing out of milk quotas in combination with a reduction in EU support prices to world prices, and direct but degressive aid to help farmers adjust to the new regime. During the forthcoming review of the milk quota system, due to start in June, the UK will be pressing to achieve confirmation that quotas will not continue after they lapse on 31 March 2008. These changes are intended to provide longer-term direction within the framework of the dairy regime, which farmers need in order to plan their businesses effectively.

Agrimonetary Compensation

Richard Bacon: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on her Department's policy on agrimonetary compensation.

Elliot Morley: We have considered the case for payment of optional agrimonetary compensation to the livestock sector. While we acknowledge the difficulties that the sector is facing and are working with them on the recommendations of the Policy Commission on Farming and Food, we have decided not to pay this subsidy given the many competing demands on the Exchequer at present.

GM Crops

Ian Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when her Department will analyse the data from the farm-scale evaluations of GM crops.

Michael Meacher: The Department will analyse data from the farm-scale evaluation of GM crops once we have received the advice of the Scientific Steering Committee overseeing the progress and publication of the ecological studies and the results are published in a peer-reviewed scientific journal. This is anticipated to be in the summer of 2003 form spring-sown crops (spring-sown oil seed rape, maize and beet) and in summer 2004 for winter- sown oil seed rape.

Abandoned Vehicles

Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps her Government are taking to support local authorities in dealing with abandoned vehicles.

Michael Meacher: We have supported pilot schemes in the London boroughs of Newham and Lewisham in which the local authority was given DVLA's powers to wheelclamp and remove unlicensed vehicles after 24 hours. We announced the extension of the scheme nationally on 10 April. The London borough of Wandsworth joined the scheme on 23 April.
	In October 2001 we published a consultation document on measures to remove abandoned and untaxed vehicles from the streets more quickly and, for the longer term, bring forward changes to vehicle registration and licensing procedures to ensure greater accuracy of DVLA's vehicle record.
	Primary powers have now been included in the Finance Bill for changes to the vehicle registration and licensing system, which will place a clear obligation on the last registered keeper to tax and licence a vehicle, and establish an automatic penalty for those who do not relicense on time. the full details of the scheme—including the levels of the automatic penalties and their operation—and the implementation date have yet to be decided.
	Regulations to reduce the statutory notice periods after which local authorities can remove abandoned vehicles and the storage periods for unlicensed vehicles were laid before the House on 19 March and came into force on 9 April.
	Kent Police piloted a "blitz" approach (Operation Cubit) on abandoned vehicles in the Medway area in co-operation with Kent county council, Medway council, DVLA and the Kent fire brigade for eight weeks in early 2001 and the Home Office has commissioned a detailed evaluation of the pilot which has been academically assessed and circulated to other stockholders for comments, including the Kent police and Kent county council. We hope to publish it in the near future.
	Since the original pilot, similar operations have taken place and are shown in the table:
	
		
			  Date 
		
		
			 Swanley June 2001 
			 Dartford October 2001 
			 Gravesend October 2001 
			 Maidstone January 2002 
			 Swale January 2002 
			 Hastings February 2002 
			 Brighton February 2002 
			 Liverpool March 2002 
		
	
	To date the operations have removed almost 3,000 abandoned unlicensed vehicles from the streets of Kent and Hastings.

Rights of Way

Ross Cranston: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what progress she has made in implementing the power to close rights of way.

Alun Michael: I refer to the reply I gave to his previous question on the subject on 12 April 2002, Official Report, column 653W. I have now refined our proposals and issue of a consultation paper is imminent.

Tenant Farmers (Retirement Scheme)

Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans she has to introduce a retirement scheme for tenant farmers.

Margaret Beckett: holding answer 10 May 2002
	I have no plans at present to introduce such a scheme. We consulted on the early retirement provisions of the EU Rural Development Regulation when drawing up plans for implementation of the regulation, but in the light of responses to that consultation we decided that the limited funds available for implementation would be better directed towards other measures to assist the industry. This is because the type of early retirement scheme available under the regulation could not be targeted effectively towards those who should benefit, such as tenant farmers.
	The general question of policy on helping farmers to leave the industry will, however, be considered further in the light of the feedback we receive on the issues we have asked stakeholders to consider following publication of the Policy Commission report.

Game Shooting

Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent assessment she has made of the economic value of game shooting; and if she will make a statement.

Margaret Beckett: holding answer 7 May 2002
	No assessment has been undertaken by my Department of the direct value to the economy of game shooting.
	Through the England Rural Development Programme, we provide a means to help farmers wishing to diversify by developing the potential for activities such as game shooting. The benefits of each proposed project are assessed in deciding whether it should receive financial support under the programme.

Committee Mandates

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the mandate of the Committee on geographical indications and protected designations of origin for agricultural products and foodstuffs is; how many times it has met over the last 12 months; what the UK representation on it is; what the annual cost of its work is to public funds; if she will list the items currently under its consideration; if she will take steps to increase its accountability and transparency to Parliament; and if she will make a statement.

Elliot Morley: The Regulatory Committee on geographical indications and protected designations of origin for agricultural products and foodstuffs has met twice over the last 12 months. Its mandate is laid down in Article 15 of Council Regulation (EEC) No. 2081/92. Its activities include helping the Commission to decide on the registration of protected food names and to draw up Commission regulations relating to the operation of the scheme. The UK is represented on the Committee by two officials from DEFRA. The annual cost to UK public funds of its work over the last 12 months is £1,000. The main issue currently under its consideration concerns the registration of feta cheese as a Protected Designation of Origin.
	Together with member states, the Commission is currently conducting a review to bring existing legislation on the conduct of comitology committees into line with Council Decision 1999/468/EC, to
	"simplify the requirements for the exercise of implementing powers conferred on the Commission". As an obligation to this Decision, the Commission undertook to publish an annual report on the working of committees. The first report was deposited in the Libraries of both Houses on 26 February (Com (2001) 783 Final). As part of the review process, the UK Government have encouraged the Commission to produce and maintain an electronic database of every comitology committee, its agendas and recent actions, to be accessible through its website.

Committee Mandates

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the mandate of the Committee on certificates of specific character for agricultural products and foodstuffs is; how many times it has met over the last 12 months; what the UK representation on it is; what the annual cost of its work is to public funds; if she will list the items currently under its consideration; if she will take steps to increase its accountability and transparency to Parliament; and if she will make a statement.

Elliot Morley: The mandate of the Committee on certificates of specific character is laid down in Article 19 of Council Regulation (EEC) No. 2082/92. Its activities include assisting the Commission to decide on the registration of protected food names and to draw up Commission regulations relating to the operation of the scheme. It has not met over the last l2 months. When it does meet, the UK representation consists of two officials from DEFRA. There have been no costs associated with the work of the Committee over the last 12 months and there are no items currently under its consideration.
	Together with member states, the Commission is currently conducting a review to bring existing legislation on the conduct of comitology committees into line with Council Decision 1999/468/EC, to
	"simplify the requirements for the exercise of implementing powers conferred on the Commission". As an obligation to this Decision, the Commission undertook to publish an annual report on the working of committees. The first report was deposited in the Libraries of both Houses on 26 February (Com (2001) 783 Final). As part of the review process, the UK Government have encouraged the Commission to produce and maintain an electronic database of every comitology committee, its agendas and recent actions, to be accessible through its website.

Committee Mandates

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the mandate of the Standing Committee on agricultural research is; how many times it has met over the last 12 months; what the UK representation on it is; what the annual cost of its work is to public funds; if she will list the items currently under its consideration; if she will take steps to increase its accountability and transparency to Parliament; and if she will make a statement.

Elliot Morley: The Standing Committee on Agricultural Research (SCAR) was set up under Article 43 of the Treaty of Rome in 1957. In order to meet the aims of the Common Agricultural Policy, SCAR advises the Commission on co-ordination and promotion at Community level of agricultural research activities undertaken in the member states. SCAR met twice (19 June 2002, 11 March 2002) over the last 12 months for half-day meetings on both occasions. UK representation is normally the Head of Research Policy and International Division in DEFRA with supporting staff, and the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC). This cost of this work to the public purse of DEFRA is about £8,500 per annum, including staff time and travelling expenses. SCAR has been examining in particular the development and implementation of the proposed new Framework Programme 6 for collaborative EU research, technology and development in those areas within its competence and interest. The papers of SCAR meetings are available on www.europa.eu.int/comm/agriculture. An annual report on the working of committees such as SCAR was deposited in the Libraries of both Houses on 26 February (Com (2001) 783 Final). The UK Government have encouraged the Commission to produce and maintain an electronic database of every comitology committee, its agendas and recent actions to be accessible through its website.

Committee Mandates

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the mandate of the Management Committee of the common organisation of agricultural markets for natural fibres is; how many times it has met over the last 12 months; what the UK representation on it is; what the annual cost of its work is to public funds; if she will list the items currently under its consideration; if she will take steps to increase its accountability and transparency to Parliament; and if she will make a statement.

Elliot Morley: The Management Committee for Natural Fibres assists the European Commission in the operation of the common organisation of the markets in flax, hemp, cotton and silkworms. The UK is represented by officials from this Department. It has met seven times over the last 12 months at a cost of £6,300 to public funds, excluding the salary costs of the officials. The Committee's current priorities are the implementation of control arrangement for imports of hemp and hemp seed from third countries and the effects of the recent reforms of the regimes for cotton and for flax and hemp. Together with member states, the Commission is currently conducting a review to bring existing legislation on the conduct of comitology committees into line with Council Decision 1999/468/EC, to
	"simplify the requirements for the exercise of implementing powers conferred on the Commission".
	As an obligation to this decision, the Commission undertook to publish an annual report on the working of committees. The first report was deposited in the Libraries of both Houses on 26 February (Com (2001) 783 Final). As part of the review process, the UK Government has encouraged the Commission to produce and maintain an electronic database of every comitology committee, its agendas and recent actions, to be accessible through its website.

Committee Mandates

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the mandate of the Committee for the adaptation to technical progress and application of the Community award scheme for an eco-label is; how many times it has met over the last 12 months; what the UK representation on it is; what the annual cost of its work is to public funds; if she will list the items currently under its consideration; if she will take steps to increase its accountability and transparency to Parliament; and if she will make a statement.

Michael Meacher: Regulation (EC) 1980/2000 on a revised Community ecolabel award scheme is intended to promote products which have the potential to reduce negative environmental impacts, as compared with the other products in the same product group, thus contributing to the efficient use of resources and a high level of environmental protection. This objective is pursued by a scheme to provide information to consumers in the form of an environmental award label, which can be displayed on products that meet criteria established under the Regulation. A committee composed of representatives of member states and chaired by the Commission has been established to assist the Commission in the operation of the ecolabelling scheme, in particular by reaching decisions on the product criteria to be applied and the administrative arrangements needed to run the scheme.
	The Committee has met four times in the last 12 months. The UK is formally represented on the Committee by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. The cost of attending this Committee over the last 12 months was approximately £3,000.
	The main issues currently being considered by this Committee are decisions on ecological criteria for award of the ecolabel to paints and varnishes, copying and printing paper, bed mattresses and light-bulbs.
	Together with member states, the Commission is currently conducting a review to bring existing legislation on the conduct of comitology committees into line with Council Decision 1999/468/EC, to
	"simplify the requirements for the exercise of implementing powers conferred on the Commission".
	As an obligation to this Decision, the Commission undertook to publish an annual report on the working of committees. The first report was deposited in the Libraries of both Houses on 26 February 2002 (Com (2001) 783 Final). As part of the review process, the UK Government has encouraged the Commission to produce and maintain an electronic database of every comitology committee, its agendas and recent actions, to be accessible through its website.

Countryside Stewardship Scheme

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to her answer of 18 April 2002, Official Report, column 1071, on the Countryside Stewardship Scheme, on what basis decisions are made to visit farms after the first year of the scheme; and what monitoring systems are in place to check whether a visit in the second year is necessary.

Elliot Morley: The compliance monitoring inspections of Countryside Stewardship Scheme agreements carried out by the Rural Payments Agency are selected using risk based criteria and are not specifically related to the year of the agreement. Inspections may therefore take place in any of the ten years of an agreement: the need for any follow-up inspections will be assessed in the light of the initial inspection.
	Under the risk based strategy for selecting care and maintenance visits, technical staff from DEFRA's Rural Development Service aim to visit all agreements in their first year. Visits in subsequent years may additionally be carried out following a compliance monitoring inspection, a request for a major amendment to an agreement or at the request of an agreement holder.

Countryside Stewardship Scheme

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many farmers in the United Kingdom have participated in the Countryside Stewardship scheme in each year since it started.

Elliot Morley: The number of applicants who have joined the Countryside Stewardship scheme in each year since the scheme started in 1991 are as follows:
	
		
			  Number of new agreements 
		
		
			 1991–95(13) 5,027 
			 1996 1,117 
			 1997 1,195 
			 1998 1,275 
			 1999 1,168 
			 2000 2,205 
			 2001(14) 2,360 
			 Total number of agreements(15) 14,347 
		
	
	(13) Annual figures for the period 1991–95, when the scheme was operated by the Countryside Commission are not available.
	(14) Estimate.
	(15) Farmers may hold more than one agreement.

Wastepack

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on what date her Department was first informed of an (a) potential and (b) actual problem with Wastepack meeting its obligations for 2001 under the Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging Waste) Regulations 1997; and if she will make a statement.

Michael Meacher: The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) announced on 15 April 2002 that, having completed its compliance assessment, it concluded that Wastepack compliance scheme had failed to take reasonable steps to carry out its recovery and recycling obligations under the Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging Waste) Regulations 1997 (as amended). During my Department's review of progress on recovery and recycling in 2001 it sought confirmation from the major compliance schemes in November 2001 that they were on course to meet their obligations under the Regulations.. We first became aware of a problem when the third quarter returns from accredited reprocessors suggested that there remained a significant amount of recovery to be achieved by the scheme in the final quarter.

CITES

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will seek greater protection for big leaf mahogany under CITES.

Michael Meacher: The Government intend to explore with other member states the possibility of listing big leaf mahogany on Annex B of Council Regulation 338–97. Such a listing would require member states to be satisfied that the trade would not be detrimental to the conservation of the species before the timber could be imported into the EU.

CITES

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what preparations her Department is making for the CITES 12 meeting of the Conference of the Parties.

Michael Meacher: All proposals for discussion at the Conference of Parties have to be with the CITES Secretariat by 6 June. A proposal to list the basking shark on Appendix II has been prepared and will be submitted shortly. Officials have also contributed to the preparation of a draft resolution on trade in biological samples. These and proposals by other EU member states will be discussed at a meeting on 16 May. A further meeting to agree a common position on all CITES proposals will be held at the end of July. Views on these proposals will be sought from NGOs and other interested parties in the run up to this later meeting.

Kyoto Treaty

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent discussions she has had with US officials about the ratification of the Kyoto treaty.

Michael Meacher: holding answer 24 April 2002
	My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State discussed ratification of the Kyoto protocol with several US officials during a visit to the US on 10–12 April. She updated them on the progress made by the UK and our EU partners on ratification of the protocol. The UK continues to urge the US to participate fully in international action to tackle climate change on the grounds that this is necessary to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions and that the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change estimates that the cost for developed countries of implementing the Kyoto protocol will only be between 0.1 per cent. and 1.1 per cent. of GDP in 2010.

Veterinary Residues

Sue Doughty: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will list the membership of the Advisory Group on Veterinary Residues between 1995 and 2001; and if she will give their dates of membership and the register of their interests.

Elliot Morley: holding answer 14 May 2002
	The membership of the Advisory Group on Veterinary Residues (AGVR) is listed in the Veterinary Medicines Directorate's (VMD) six annual reports on Surveillance for Veterinary Residues for 1995–2001. Only non-civil service members of the committee would have given declarations of interest. There was no expectation at the time that their declarations of interest would be made public. Under Part II, Paragraph 14 a) of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information, it is necessary to contact the ex-members to seek permission for the declarations to be disclosed. The VMD will write to the ex-members and disclose the declarations of those who consent.

Veterinary Residues

Sue Doughty: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will publish the guidelines relating to the establishment of the Advisory Group on Veterinary Residues in 1995 and the Veterinary Residues Committee in 2001.

Elliot Morley: holding answer 14 May 2002
	The Advisory Group on Veterinary Residues (AGVR) was set up in 1995 to ensure that the Veterinary Medicines Directorate's residues surveillance programmes were subject to independent scrutiny and advice. The AGVR's terms of reference are given in the VMD's annual reports on Surveillance for Veterinary Residues. Interested organisations, including consumer groups, were asked for nominations to serve on the AGVR. Account was taken of the advice given in the 'Guide to Public Appointments' that pertained at that time.
	The Veterinary Residues Committee was set up in 2001 to interpret and advise on the incidence and concentrations of residues of veterinary medicines in samples collected under the VMD's and FSA's surveillance programmes.
	Appointments to the VRC were made in accordance with Nolan principles. Information on the appointments process and terms of reference for the VRC is given on their website: vet-residues-committee.gov.uk.

Aggregates Levy

Sue Doughty: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she (a) has made and (b) plans to make of the role and impact of the sustainability fund in England; how this fund will operate; and if she will make a statement.

Michael Meacher: The Government have consulted widely on the role and impact of the sustainability fund. In August 2000 we consulted on the objectives of the fund and, in broad terms, the best use of resources. A second consultation paper, in October 2001, invited comments on proposals for the operation and distribution of the fund in England. A summary of responses is on my Department's website.
	I announced final decisions on the distribution of the fund on 10 April. It will be distributed through the Countryside Agency, English Heritage, English Nature, WRAP, DTI's Construction Innovation and Research Management Programme, DTLR's Planning Research programme, Clean Up programme and Freight Facilities Grant. It will run for two years initially, with £29.3 million available each year.
	Monitoring and review arrangements will be put in place to assess the impact of the fund and help inform future decisions on how the fund works. The fund aims to reduce damage to the environment from extracting aggregates by reducing the demand for primary aggregates, promoting more environmentally friendly extraction and transport and reducing the effect of local aggregate extraction.

Maladministration

Annabelle Ewing: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many findings there have been of maladministration by ombudsmen with responsibility for agencies under the remit of her Department since 1997.

Elliot Morley: Information on the handling of complaints is set out in tabular form by the Parliamentary Ombudsman each year as an attachment to his annual report. For those complaints where there was evidence of maladministration which warranted a full investigation, the table sets out how many complaints were upheld as being fully or partially justified. Copies of the Parliamentary Ombudsman's annual reports for the period 1997–98 to 2000–01 inclusive can be viewed in the House Library, or on the Parliamentary Ombudsman's website at www.ombudsman.org.uk/publications

Refrigerators

Michael Jack: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will publish details of the methodology used to determine the size of the moneys given to local authorities to further assist in the costs associated with the implementation of the Ozone Depleting Substances Regulation for the period 1 January 2002 to 31 March 2002; and what his estimate is for the annual cost of these measures.

Michael Meacher: holding answer 28 February 2002
	The figure was based on early estimates of the costs that local authorities would face in the period January to March 2002. These estimates were made on the basis of the best information to hand at the time. It was assumed that: 2.5 million fridges would be disposed of each year; treatment costs would be around £15 per unit; and up to 40 per cent. of units might continue to be taken back by retailers and manufacturers. However, Government accepted that additional payments might be needed once the actual costs and consequences of the regulation were clearer.
	As I informed the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee on 15 April, my estimate of the total cost of the measures needed to deal with fridges in 2002–03 is £40 million.

Sustainable Development

Mark Lazarowicz: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she intends to include representatives of the devolved Administrations in the UK delegation to the World Summit on Sustainable Development.

Michael Meacher: As I stated in my answer of 19 December 2001, the Devolved Administrations have been closely involved in the development of the UK's position on the World Summit on Sustainable Development. They will be represented at the summit.

Voluntary Sector (Funding)

Oliver Letwin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for South-West Bedfordshire of 25 January, Official Report, columns 1185–86W, on Government funding of the voluntary sector, if she will list the grant schemes and other mechanisms by which (a) her Department, (b) the Countryside Agency and (c) English Nature distribute funding to voluntary sector organisations.

Alun Michael: holding answer 19 April 2002
	There are various grant schemes and spending programmes through which DEFRA, the Countryside Agency and English Nature provide funding to organisations in the voluntary and community sector.
	DEFRA makes funding available to the voluntary and community sector through the Wildlife and Countryside Research Programme, the Environmental Action Fund and the Rural Stress Action Plan. Funding is also made available directly to the National Federation of Young Farmers Clubs, ENCAMS and National Energy Action.
	The Countryside Agency has a variety of funding streams to which voluntary sector organisations and other groups are eligible to apply, flowing from its work on rural services (including community development and social exclusion), Rural Housing Enablers, market towns, its Vital Villages programme (including Community Services Grant and Rural Transport Partnership), the Wider Welcome scheme (including national trails maintenance and rights of way work), and the Walking Your Way To Health initiative.
	English Nature distributes funding to voluntary sector organisations through the Reserves Enhancement Scheme, Volunteer Action Grants, Section 35 National Nature Reserve (NNR) Capital Grants Scheme, Land Purchase Grants and the Biodiversity Grant Scheme.

Dairy Producers

Ian Liddell-Grainger: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will take steps to support organic yoghurt and cream farm producers.

Elliot Morley: We have already made considerable support available to encourage conversion to organic farming and will continue to do so. We have budgeted expenditure of £140 million over the lifetime of the England Rural Development Programme (ERDP), which should triple the area under organic management by 2006. And, through both the Rural Enterprise Scheme and the Processing and Marketing Grant, the ERDP provides opportunities for these sectors of the industry to improve their competitiveness.
	The development of the organic sector will be carried forward by an organic action plan which is being drawn up with stakeholders. We hope to complete this work by July.

Meat and Livestock Commission

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will set up a public inquiry into Meat and Livestock Commission invoices sent to the Intervention Board in 1998 and 1999.

Elliot Morley: I do not consider that a public inquiry into invoices received from the Meat and Livestock Commission during those two years would be beneficial or is, indeed, necessary.
	All expenditure incurred by the Intervention Board was published in the Board's annual accounts which, as with the accounts of all Government Departments, are subject to annual audit to assure Parliament that taxpayer's money is being properly spent and accounted for.

Sewage Discharges (Whitburn and Hendon)

Chris Mullin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when she expects to publish the report of the inquiry into sewage discharges from Whitburn and Hendon; and if she will make a statement.

Michael Meacher: The report of the inquiry prepared by the appointed inspector was submitted on 1 March. It is currently under consideration and will be published together with the announcement of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State's decision on the Whitburn and Hendon discharge consent applications. I am aware of the interest in the outcome of this inquiry and can assure my hon. Friend that we are working to ensure that this decision is made as quickly as possible.

Marine Stewardship Reports

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans the Government have to bring forward legislation to implement the policy objectives of the Marine Stewardship reports.

Michael Meacher: We will consult later this year on the regulations to extend the Habitats and Birds Directives out to the limit of jurisdiction of UK waters to protect important habitats and species. Further legislation will be brought forward if it is needed to deliver our vision of clean, healthy, safe, productive and biologically diverse oceans and seas.

Waste Composting

Jonathan Sayeed: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what representations she has received on statutory safety regulations in the UK for the composting of household waste; and if she will make a statement.

Michael Meacher: The Department occasionally receives correspondence from householders located close to a composting facility on the safety requirements linked to that facility.

Illegal Waste Disposal

Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether he plans to increase the penalties for people who (a) fly tip and (b) throw refuse from vehicles.

Michael Meacher: The penalties available for those convicted of fly tipping are severe. For non-special waste the maximum penalty for conviction in Crown court is an unlimited fine and/or up to two years imprisonment. For special waste, the maximum prison sentence is increased to five years. There are no plans to raise these penalties further.
	Anyone caught littering, including littering from a vehicle, may be issued with a Fixed Penalty Notice. Fixed Penalty Notices for litter and dog fouling offences were increased from £25 to £50 on 1 April 2002.

BNFL

Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what meetings (a) she and (b) other departmental ministers have held recently with senior executives from BNFL.

Michael Meacher: None.

CERRIE

Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to her answer, of 20 March 2002, Official Report, column 372W, she will list the consultants appointed to the secretariat; and if she will set out the reasons CERRIE meetings are not held in public.

Michael Meacher: As I indicated in my reply of 20 March, three consultants have been appointed to provide the Committee Examining Radiation Risks of Internal Emitters (CERRIE) with an independent secretariat. They are Ian Fairlie, Marion Hill and Paul Dorfman.
	Several of the members of CERRIE are on record as having strongly held contradictory views about the radiation risks from internal emitters. The CERRIE meetings are intended to provide an opportunity for those differences of opinion to be debated, at length, in an environment that will encourage consensus to be reached, as far as that is possible. Holding the meetings in private will aid the uninhibited expression of views and the ability, where appropriate, for individuals to change their minds in the light of the evidence before them. However, in order to be transparent about their discussions, CERRIE are preparing their own website which will include, among other things, summary minutes of their meetings. CERRIE's final report to the Committee on Medical Aspects of Radiation in the Environment (COMARE) will also be published.

Water Framework Directive

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the extent to which the proposals set out in the draft Water Bill are necessary in order to meet environmental objectives under the Water Framework Directive.

Michael Meacher: The draft Water Bill is not being used specifically to transpose the directive but certain provisions in the Bill in respect of water abstraction and efficient use of water by water companies will help deliver the directive's requirements.
	The main transposing provisions for England will be contained in regulations made under section 2(2) of the European Communities Act 1972 and other appropriate enabling powers. Consultation on draft regulations should take place in 2003, following further consultation this year on possible approaches to transposition.

Water Framework Directive

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans she has to produce a new Regulatory Impact Assessment of the Water Framework Directive.

Michael Meacher: An updated Regulatory Impact Assessment will form part of a third consultation paper on implementation of the directive in England and Wales, which is due to be published in 2003.
	In Scotland and Northern Ireland, implementation of the directive and the assessment of its costs and benefits are being managed wholly by the Scottish Executive and the Northern Ireland Executive.

Water Framework Directive

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans she has to implement the no deterioration duty under the Water Framework Directive.

Michael Meacher: Article 4 of the directive says that, in making operational programmes of measures in the river basin management plans, member states have to implement the necessary measures to prevent deterioration in the status of water bodies.
	As with all other obligations in the directive, my Department will ensure that this obligation is complied with. To the extent that new regulatory powers are needed, they will included in proposed regulations on which we plan to consult next year.
	We are required to take the necessary legal and other steps to transpose the directive by December 2003.

Nitrates

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the amount of environmental damage likely to occur in areas which would be excluded from nitrate vulnerable zones under Option 2 of the consultation paper on implementing the Nitrates Directive.

Michael Meacher: Areas of England would be excluded from the discrete NVZ area under the Option 2 approach because they drain into waters for which monitoring data do not exceed the specific criteria laid down in the Nitrates Directive.
	However, we recognised the potential wider environmental effects of manure spreading in these areas in the partial Regulatory Impact Assessment annexed to our recent consultation paper 'How should England implement the 1991 Nitrates Directive?'.
	We are currently considering all responses received to the consultation before announcing a decision in due course on which implementation option will be pursued in England.

Warm Front Scheme

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many contractors under the Warm Front scheme are based in each county in the south of England.

Michael Meacher: holding answer 25 April 2002
	Installers are appointed by the Warm Front scheme managers to work in specific areas of England, which do not necessarily follow county boundaries. Installers working in areas of Berkshire, Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Kent, Hampshire, Somerset, Sussex, Wiltshire and Greater London, have 49 main offices in those areas.

Illegal Meat Imports

Ann Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the findings of investigations carried out by her Department on the risks posed to animal health by illegal consignments of meat imported into the UK.

Elliot Morley: A risk assessment has been commissioned by DEFRA to quantify the probability of an outbreak of exotic disease linked to illegal imports. The work will seek to identify the pathways virus might travel and what are the critical control points along those pathways.
	The risk assessment is being carried out by the Veterinary Laboratories Agency (VLA) and will facilitate the identification of effective control strategies and efficient and effective resource allocation to reduce risks to animal health from exotic diseases. The work commenced in March 2002 and is scheduled to run for six months. It is therefore too early to reach any conclusions.

Common Land (Access)

Vernon Coaker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when she will lay draft regulations before Parliament under section 68 of the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 relating to vehicular access over common land.

Alun Michael: Draft regulations have been laid in both Houses, together with a regulatory impact assessment and an analysis of the responses made to the draft regulations circulated in July 2001. The Government's objective has been to strike a fair balance between the owners of common land, and those who have, for many years, driven across the land to get to their homes.
	The major change in the regulations is in relation to the compensation payable. This reflects the Government's view that the compensation payable in respect of older premises, already in existence when it became an offence to drive on common land, should be a relatively small amount. Owners of premises in existence on or before 31 December 1905 will pay 0.25 per cent. of the value of the premises. Owners of those built between 1 January 1906 and 30 November 1930 will pay 0.5 per cent. Compensation in respect of all other premises remains at 2 per cent.
	We hope that the regulations will be considered by both Houses before the summer recess, and will then come into force as soon as possible.

Flooding

Parmjit Dhanda: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent representations she has received on the impact climate change will have on flooding in the United Kingdom.

Elliot Morley: While we have received no recent representations, we have recognised for some time that increased flood risk is one of the significant issues arising from climate change. Indeed the Government have issued guidance on expected sea level rise since the 1980's. Last year we published an assessment that showed that without present adaptation policies, such as formal defences, managed realignment, wetland creation etc., average annual flood damage from rivers could increase by some 60 per cent. and on the coast by around 400 per cent. This emphasised the need for an appropriate precautionary response.
	On 26 April 2002 DEFRA published "Climate Change Scenarios for the United Kingdom", a new set of scenarios prepared by the Hadley Centre for Climate Prediction and Research, Tyndell Centre for Climate Change Research and University of East Anglia. These largely confirm the general trend of previous predictions but provide additional detail and increased spatial resolution.
	We will be reviewing all policy areas, including flood management, in the light of these scenarios over the coming months and will consider carefully the need for any consequent adjustment to our guidance.

Wildlife Crime

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on what her Department is doing to tackle crime relating to wildlife.

Michael Meacher: The Department is determined to tackle wildlife crime and we have a number of relevant initiatives under way. For example I launched the National Wildlife Crime Intelligence Unit, and we are about to begin a review of COTES, which will include an assessment of the level of penalties and police powers of arrest.

Sellafield

Alistair Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  what steps she has taken to ensure that there is no contamination of drinking water from the leaks from the sludge storage tanks in Building B241 at Sellafield;
	(2)  what action she has taken and when since she was informed that the sludge storage tanks in Building B241 at Sellafield were leaking;
	(3)  when she was first informed that the sludge storage tanks in Building B241 at Sellafield were leaking.

Margaret Beckett: Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Pollution, then part of the Department of the Environment, became aware of the suspected leakage from B241 around 1993.
	I understand that BNFL has confirmed that technetium-99 (Tc-99) has been detected in groundwater from boreholes in and around the Sellafield site which probably originate from the leaks from the B24l sludge storage tanks. Having carried out an assessment of the radiological impact, the Environment Agency is satisfied that this would be insignificant. The groundwater at Sellafield is not used for drinking water supplies. The agency has carried out additional monitoring of local surface waters and has not detected Tc-99
	Remedial action to eliminate the leaks is the responsibility of BNFL. The Environment Agency has requested BNFL to undertake monitoring to confirm the point of leakage and will work with the Health and Safety Executive's Nuclear Installations Inspectorate to consider any regulatory action.

DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER

Special Advisers

Norman Baker: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister 
	(1)  whether unpaid special advisers who are appointed for less than a year are obliged to sign the Official Secrets Act in circumstances where advisers, both paid and unpaid, who are appointed for more than a year are obliged to do so;
	(2)  what regulations control the appointment of unpaid special advisers if they are appointed for less than one year; and if he will make a statement;
	(3)  how many unpaid special advisers who have been appointed for a term of less than a year there are in (a) his Department and (b) all Departments;
	(4)  what the expense to (a) his Department and (b) all departments of appointing unpaid special advisers for less than a year was in the last 12 months; and if he will make a statement;
	(5)  in what way selection criteria applied to unpaid special advisers differ from those applicable to paid special advisers.

Christopher Leslie: All special advisers, whether paid or unpaid and whatever the duration of their appointment, are employed under terms and conditions set out in the Model Contract for Special Advisers and in accordance with paragraph 50 of the Ministerial Code. The rules on the selection and appointments of unpaid special advisers are the same as those for paid special advisers. All appointees are covered by the Official Secrets Act. I am not aware of any unpaid special advisers appointed for a period of less than a year.

SCOTLAND

Departmental Report

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when the 2002 departmental report will be published.

Helen Liddell: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Chief Secretary to the Treasury on 15 April 2002, Official Report, column 774W.

National Insurance

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if she will estimate the cost in the next 12 months of the Budget changes to employers' national insurance contributions to (a) her Department, (b) agencies of her Department and (c) local government carrying out functions within the responsibility of her Department.

Helen Liddell: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Chief Secretary to the Treasury on 29 April 2002, Official Report, column 544W.

COSLA

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what representations her Department has received from COSLA regarding the impact of (a) the aggregates levy and (b) the rise in employers' national insurance contributions on Scottish local authorities in 2002–03.

Helen Liddell: None.

Local Government Finance

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if she will list by local authority the level of (a) rent and (b) council tax arrears in each year since 1993 in Scotland.

Helen Liddell: Tables containing the relevant information have been placed in the Library.
	Table (a) shows the current level of council tax arrears by local authority for each year since 1996–97. Figures for 1993–96 are not collected separately.
	Table (b) shows rent arrears per local authority for each year since 1993.
	Since July 1999 these have been devolved matters, and are the responsibility of the Scottish Executive.

ADVOCATE-GENERAL

Departmental Report

John Bercow: To ask the Advocate-General when the 2002 departmental report will be published.

Lynda Clark: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to my right hon. Friend the Chief Secretary to the Treasury on 15 April 2002, Official Report, column 774W.

LORD CHANCELLOR

Jury System

Dave Watts: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will list the representations he has received in favour of the jury system.

Michael Wills: Of the 487 representations received in response to the Auld report on criminal courts reform, a number of organisations including the Bar Council, the Law Society and private commentators have expressed concern about the report's recommendations that the defendant's automatic right to elect jury trial in either-way cases should be abolished. As the Lord Chancellor has stated publicly, the Government are now considering the report's recommendations in detail, and hope to publish a White Paper announcing their conclusions before the summer recess. Responses from the general public and the main criminal justice stakeholders, subject to their agreement, are being placed on the Lord Chancellor's web site www.criminal-courts-review.org.uk

Jury System

Tom Cox: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many (a) men and (b) women from ethnic minority backgrounds were selected for jury service at courts in Greater London during the last 12 months.

Michael Wills: We do not collect information on the gender or ethnicity of people summoned to be, or sitting as, jurors. One of the main reasons for this is that jury summoning and selection is random at each stage, and it should therefore reflect the gender and ethnic breakdown of those who are registered to vote. This should also reflect regional variations, as catchment areas are based on the locality to the court.
	However, a research study is currently being developed to explore the representation of ethnic minorities in jury pools. Further details will be announced in due course.

Criminal Offences

Andrew Turner: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many criminal offences have been (a) created and (b) abolished by his Department since 1997.

Michael Wills: A comprehensive and exhaustive list of new and abolished offences could be provided only at disproportionate cost. We can however provide the following information about the following measures which have been enacted since 1 May 1997.
	The Access to Justice Act 1999 created two offences: Misrepresentation in relation to Community Legal Service/Criminal Defence Service and Unauthorised disclosure of personal information supplied for enforcing warrants. The first offence replaces the similar offence in relation to legal aid under the Legal Aid Act 1988.
	The European Communities (Lawyer's Practice) Regulations 2000 (SI 1119–2000) created an offence for a European lawyer to practise in England and Wales and Northern Ireland without registering with the relevant competent authority. This was a regulation made by the Lord Chancellor implementing a European directive.
	The Land Registration Act 2002 creates two and repeals three. The Statute Law (Repeals) Act 1998 repealed eight offences.

Human Rights

Norman Baker: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department whom he has identified as the contact points in each department for human rights issues.

Michael Wills: A civil servant in each Department has been designated as the contact point for human rights issues. I will send the right hon. Gentleman the full list of the 26 contact points for his information, although general inquiries on human rights issues should in the first instance continue to be sent to officials in my Department, which plays a co-ordinating role on the Human Rights Act.

Hague Child Abduction Convention

Ross Cranston: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, what the return rates (a) to and (b) from the UK under the Hague Child Abduction Convention were for each of the last two years for European signatories to the convention.

Rosie Winterton: The Lord Chancellor is the central authority for the operation of the convention for England and Wales only. The tables show the return rates to and from England and Wales, for each of the last two years for European signatories to the convention.
	
		Table (a): Return rates to England and Wales
		
			  2000 2001 
		
		
			 Cases received during the year 88 96 
			 Cases outstanding at end of the year 26 29 
			 Cases where return of child achieved 40 38 
			 Return rate (percentage) 64.5 56.7 
		
	
	
		Table (b): Return rates from England and Wales
		
			  2000 2001 
		
		
			 Cases received during the year 139 155 
			 Cases outstanding at end of the year 51 55 
			 Cases where return of child achieved 57 58 
			 Return rate (percentage) 64.8 58

Spouse Murderers

Tim Loughton: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, how many parents convicted of murder against a spouse have been deprived of parental rights over children in the last five years.

Rosie Winterton: This information is not available. A key aim of the Inter-Ministerial Group on Domestic Violence is to improve the way the criminal and civil justice systems work together. The work of the group will include looking at whether, and if so how, information such as this could be obtained.

Wardship Orders

Keith Vaz: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, how many wardship orders were made in each year since 1990.

Rosie Winterton: The following statistics are available:
	1990—6,227
	1991—5,014.
	The Children Act 1989 came into force on 14 October 1991. Under the Act, the use of wardship by local authorities is severely limited. Leave to make an application for any exercise of the court's inherent jurisdiction must be granted by the High Court. Applications by private individuals are not restricted, but the same results can generally be achieved by obtaining a prohibited steps or specific issue order under section 8 of the Act. Statistics have not been collected since 1991 because the number of wardship orders made has been negligible.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Greater Manchester Police

Patsy Calton: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will provide a breakdown of one-off ring-fenced grants to Greater Manchester police by constituency since 1997–99, and if he will make a statement.

John Denham: holding answer 19 March 2002
	Details of one-off grant payments to Greater Manchester police since 1997–98 are set out in the table. These cannot be broken down by constituency.
	
		£ 
		
			   1997–98 1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 
		
		
			 Special firearms grant(16) 78,144 7,692 — — — 
			 Beacon scheme(17) — — 99,977 6,000 — 
			 Arrest referral — — — 523,000 613,000 
			 Operation Hawk(18) — — — 1,943,000 1,257,000 
			 Robbery grant — — — 3,200,000 — 
			 Fuel distribution emergency — — — 505,103 58,050 
			 Targeted policing initiative (North Trafford) — — — 62,898 44,597 
			 Targeted policing initiative (Trafford Park) — — — — 69,785 
			 Execution of warrants — — — 233,000 — 
			 Policing Oldham disturbances — — — — 1,440,000 
			 Commonwealth games(19) — — — — 1,700,000 
		
	
	(16) Firearms grant for policing costs associated with ban on handguns.
	(17) Beacon scheme funding for imaginative ideas linked to increasing police efficiency.
	(18) A Greater Manchester police street crime initiative.
	(19) Payment of the first instalment of a total grant of up to £5 million for policing the games.

Police Pay

Jimmy Wray: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the shorter pay scales for the federated ranks will be.

John Denham: On 9 May 2002, the Police Negotiating Board (PNB) reached agreement on a package of reforms to police pay and conditions of service. PNB is the statutory negotiating body for police pay and conditions of service throughout the United Kingdom.
	The package includes shortening the constables' pay scale by four points, achieved by removing two points on 1 April 2003, a third on 1 April 2004 and a fourth on 1 April 2005. The pay scales for sergeants, inspectors and chief inspectors will be shortened on 1 April 2003 by removing the current bottom point.
	From 1 April 2003, the pay points on all the federated ranks' scales will be increased by £402.
	The shorter pay scales will mean that officers in the federated ranks will reach the top of their respective pay scales more quickly than under the current arrangements. At the top of the scales, they will be eligible for a new competence-related payment of £1,002 a year.

Police Pay

Jimmy Wray: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how a police officer will be eligible for the new competence-related pay.

John Denham: On 9 May 2002, the Police Negotiating Board (PNB) reached agreement on a package of reforms to police pay and conditions of service. PNB is the statutory negotiating body for police pay and conditions throughout the United Kingdom. PNB agreements have to be approved by my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary in England and Wales and by my right hon. Friend the Scottish Minister in Scotland.
	The package of reforms includes a new competence- related pensionable payment of £1,002 at the top of the federated ranks' pay scales. In order to get the payment, officers will have to have spent a year at the top of their respective scales and demonstrate high professional competence under each of the following broad headings:
	Professional competence and results;
	Commitment to the job;
	Relations with the public and colleagues;
	Willingness to learn and adjust to new circumstances.
	A PNB Working Group will agree the final details for the scheme by 30 September 2002, so that the first payments can be made from 1 April 2003.
	In the PNB agreement, it is stated that at least 75 per cent. of those eligible are expected to get the payment. There will, however, be no quota system. Any eligible officer who demonstrates the necessary competencies will get the payment.

Police Pay

Owen Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  how the funding will be provided for the £500 to £5,000 annual payment to police officers at the sharp end;
	(2)  how the funding will be provided for the proposed payment of £400 to all police officers and the £1,000 payment for police officers at the top of their pay scales.

John Denham: holding answer 9 April 2002
	On 9 May 2002, the Police Negotiating Board (PNB) agreed a package of reforms to police pay and conditions of service.
	The package includes an increase of £402 on top of the basic salary for all the federated ranks from 1 April, 2003. Officers at the top of the federated ranks' pay scales will be eligible for a new competence-related payment of £1,002 a year. There will also be a new special priority payment scheme under which those at the sharp end of policing may qualify for one-off payments of normally between £500 to £3,000, exceptionally up to £5,000.
	The payment depends on appropriate additional resources being provided to police.
	The new pay and conditions package agreed on 9 May 2002 will provide a modernised pay structure rewarding those at the sharp end and reducing reliance on overtime. In so doing, it both underpins the rest of the police reform programme and demonstrates the Government's commitment to invest in the police service to achieve the reforms needed and to give it the support and flexibility it requires to deliver a first-class service to the public.

Police Pay

Ross Cranston: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the average annual increase in police pay has been in each of the last 10 years.

John Denham: Police pay increased by an average of 6.5 per cent. in 1992 and 1.5 per cent. in 1993. In 1994, the pay scales were restructured, and there was no uniform increase in police pay.
	Since 1995, police pay has been increased every September by reference to the median percentage of the manpower index of non-manual private sector workers. In 1995 the increase was 3 per cent. in 1996, 3.5 per cent. in 1997, 3.5 per cent., in 1998, 4 per cent., in 1999, 3.6 per cent., in 2000, 3 per cent. and in 2001, 3.5 per cent.
	The increase in basic pay agreed as part of a package of reforms to police pay and conditions in the Police Negotiating Board on 9 May 2002, will be on top of the pay award from September 2002.

Police

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many black and Asian officers there are in the (a) Metropolitan police, (b) Leicestershire police and (c) Derbyshire police; and at which rank.

John Denham: The information has been provided by the respective chief officer of police and is set out in the table. The figures reflect the position on 31 March 2002.
	
		Number of black and Asian officers
		
			  Rank Metropolitan police Leicestershire constabulary Derbyshire constabulary 
		
		
			 Assistant commissioner(20) 1 — — 
			 Assistant chief constable(21) 2 — — 
			 Chief superintendent 2 — — 
			 Superintendent 4 1 — 
			 Chief inspector 9 1 1 
			 Inspector 36 2 5 
			 Sergeant 112 9 6 
			 Constable 1,113 64 41 
			 Total 1,279 77 53 
		
	
	(20) Assistant commissioner in the Metropolitan police is equivalent to the rank of chief constable.
	(21) Assistant chief constable includes the ranks of deputy assistant commissioner and commander in the Metropolitan police.

Police

Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police were assigned to Operation Patrol in Uniform in Wales in each year since 1997.

John Denham: The precise information requested is not collected, but the information in the table has been provided by Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC) using returns supplied by police forces of the number of officers undertaking particular classes of duty. The basis on which HMIC classify police service staff changed in the year 1999–2000 so the figures for 31 March 2000 and 31 March 2001 are not directly comparable with those for earlier years.
	The figures up to and including 31 March 1999 cover officers classified as undertaking patrol or traffic duties in roles that could only be filled by a police officer.
	The figures for 2000 and 2001 cover operational officers classified as undertaking foot, car or beat patrol, traffic duties, working with police dogs and mounted officers. Operational officers are any, including covert staff, whose primary role is directly to deliver the overarching aims of the police service. Operational officers will not necessarily undertake duties in uniform but the vast majority undertaking patrol functions will do so.
	
		Operational patrol officers (full time equivalent)
		
			 As at 31 March Dyfed— Powys Gwent North Wales South Wales 
		
		
			 1997 648 826 855 1,714 
			 1998 687 800 895 1,623 
			 1999 690 857 851 1,809 
			 2000 706 841 794 1,859 
			 2001 537 724 820 1,917

Crime Prevention/Weston-Super-Mare

Brian Cotter: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to offer funding to local crime prevention initiatives in Weston-Super- Mare.

John Denham: Home Office crime reduction funding is allocated to the North Somerset Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership and the North Somerset Youth Offending Team, which cover Weston-Super-Mare. The total funding allocated in 2002–03 is £464,897 comprising:
	
		
			 Purpose Amount £ 
		
		
			  North Somerset Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership 
			 Communities Against Drugs(22) 162,800 
			 Safer Communities Initiative 56,163 
			 Partnership Development 57,500 
			 Small Retailers in Deprived Areas Scheme 25,906 
			  
			 Total 302,369 
			 North Somerset Youth Offending Team 
			 General funding 102,263 
			 Drugs services 31,044 
			 Referral orders 29,221 
			  
			 Total 162,528 
		
	
	(22) 2001–02 baseline allocation

Policing Costs

James Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will estimate the average annual cost of employing (a) a police officer and (b) a police constable in (i) a provincial force and (ii) London in the last five years.

John Denham: holding answer 8 March 2002
	I have today placed this information in the Library.

Police Performance

Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will rank the performance of each police force in England according to the Best Value Performance Indicators relating to (a) violent offences under the influence of an intoxicating substance and (b) violent offences committed in connection with licensed premises.

John Denham: holding answer 9 May 2002
	The suite of Best Value Performance Indicators (BVPIs) for the police relating to violent offences under the influence of an intoxicating substance and violent offences committed in connection with licensed premises first comes into effect during the current year 2002–03.

Class A Drugs (Tunbridge Wells)

Archie Norman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people (a) in total and (b) under the age of 25 years in Tunbridge Wells were found in possession of Class A drugs in each year since 1997.

Bob Ainsworth: The information requested is not collected centrally. However, it will be possible to provide some information on the number of persons in Kent cautioned or found guilty of possessing Class A drugs from 1997 to 2000. I will write to the hon. Member by 24 May 2002. A copy of the letter will be placed in the Library.

Police Service (Religion)

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will collect statistics on the religious affiliation of civilian and uniformed staff in the Police Service with special reference to Muslim women in the work force; and if he will make a statement.

John Denham: We have no current plans to collect data on the religious affiliation of police officers and support staff. Data are collected on ethnicity. This is used to monitor the progress of police forces in meeting their targets on minority ethnic recruitment, retention and progression.

Antisocial Behaviour

Dominic Grieve: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many antisocial behaviour orders have been issued to date.

John Denham: Official statistics on the number of AntiSocial Behaviour Orders (ASBO) issued are based on quarterly returns received from magistrates courts committees (MCCs). The total number of ASBOs issued, as from 1 April 1999 up until the end of December 2001 (latest available), is 518.
	The requirement for further checks for completeness of information reported from MCCs is currently under review.

Alcohol

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the changes in his Department's guidelines to the police relating to the seizure of alcohol from young people.

John Denham: There are no guidelines dealing specifically with this subject, but all chief police officers and chief executives of local authorities were informed by letter, of the measures relating to alcohol consumption in public places, contained in the Criminal Justice and Police Act 2001 Act prior to their commencement in September 2001.

Recorded Crime

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 7 May 2002, Ref. 52335, whether before 1 April, the police had discretion to record a reported crime; and if he will make a statement.

John Denham: The rules regarding re-classification of a recorded crime were the same prior to 1 April 2002 as they are now. Re-classification is not usually permitted. The rules state that a recorded crime cannot be re-classified unless it is re-classified to a homicide (murder, manslaughter or infanticide).
	Once a crime has been recorded it can only be classified as a 'no crime' if one of the following criteria is satisfied:
	(i) The crime was committed outside the jurisdiction of the police force in which it was recorded.
	(ii) Where, following the report of an incident which has subsequently been recorded as a crime, credible evidence comes to light, which determines that no crime has been committed.
	(iii) If the crime, as alleged, constitutes part of a crime already recorded.
	(iv) If the reported incident was recorded as a crime in error.

Domestic Violence

Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  how many incidents of domestic violence there were in each year since 1997 in Wales;
	(2)  how many incidents of domestic violence there were in each year since 1997 in Lancashire.

John Denham: Details of the numbers of domestic violence incidents in Wales and Lancashire, obtained from Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary Annual Statistical Return from police forces, are given. The definition of domestic violence incidents used for the figures up to 1998–99 was as follows:
	Any form of physical, sexual or emotional abuse which takes place within the context of a close relationship. In most cases, the relationship will be between partners, married, cohabiting or otherwise; or ex-partners.
	The figures for 1999–2000 and 2000–01 used the following definition:
	Any violence between current or former partners in an intimate relationship, wherever and whenever the violence occurs. The violence may include physical, sexual, emotional or financial abuse.
	The figures up to 1998–99 are therefore not directly comparable with those for 1999–2000 and 2000–01. Changes in numbers of domestic violence incidents recorded may be due to increased willingness on the part of victims to report these crimes, and to changes in force policy in how to handle and record such incidents. In particular, Lancashire changed their recording and reporting procedures in the 2000–01 financial year, resulting in a higher figure for that year.
	
		Number of domestic violence incidents
		
			 Year Wales Lancashire 
		
		
			 1996–97 21,068 6,216 
			 1997–98 21,160 5,760 
			 1998–99 17,913 6,778 
			 1999–2000 17,159 8,560 
			 2000–01 15,763 17,392

Burglary

Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  how many burglaries have been committed in Wales in each year since 1997;
	(2)  how many burglaries have been committed in Lancashire in each year since 1997.

John Denham: The numbers of burglaries (both domestic and other) recorded by the police in Wales and Lancashire since 1997 have been published in successive editions of 'Criminal Statistics England and Wales', and are given in the table.
	
		Number of burglaries
		
			 Year Wales Lancashire 
		
		
			 1997(23) 46,445 27,921 
			 1998–99(24) 41,941 24,226 
			 1999–2000(24) 36,764 21,360 
			 2000–01(24) 32,883 21,673 
		
	
	(23) Calendar year
	(24) Year ending March
	There was a change in counting rules for recorded crime on 1 April 1998. However, it is thought that this had relatively little effect nationally on the number of burglary offences recorded. The 2000–01 figure for Lancashire may have been affected by new recording practices introduced by the force in April 2000.

Common Assault

Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many incidents of common assault have been committed in Lancashire in each year since 1997.

John Denham: The number of common assaults, and racially aggravated common assaults, recorded by the police in Lancashire are given in the table. The former category was introduced as a recorded crime on 1 April 1998, and the latter was counted separately from 1 April 1999.
	
		Recorded common assaults in Lancashire
		
			 Year Common assault Racially aggravated common assault 
		
		
			 1998–99(25) 2,109 n/a 
			 1999/2000(25) 2,208 63 
			 2000/01(25) 3,052 52 
		
	
	(25) Year ending March
	It should be noted that recorded violent crime is subject to changes in reporting and recording. The 2000–01 figure for Lancashire may have been affected by new recording practices introduced by the force in April 2000. Also, for example, the 2001 British Crime Survey found that, over England and Wales as a whole, reporting to the police of common assault rose from 29 per cent. in 1999 to 39 per cent. in the year 2000.
	The British Crime Survey has shown that, in England and Wales as a whole, the number of common assaults recorded in the survey decreased by 14 per cent. between the 1999 and 2000 calendar years, whereas common assaults recorded by the police increased by an estimated 9 per cent. Common assaults recorded by the police may therefore not necessarily be a reflection of the real level of this offence.

Young Offenders' Diet

Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent research he has carried out into potential links between the behaviour of people detained in young offenders' institutions and food supplements, food colouring and mineral deficiencies.

Beverley Hughes: Natural Justice, a registered charity, undertook a research project at Aylesbury young offender institution in 1996–97 to monitor the effects of nutritional supplements on the behaviour of young offenders. The behaviour of the young offenders was measured before and after by looking at the number of minor and Governor reports. The results were independently reviewed by the Home Office's Research, Development and Statistics Directorate (RDSD) who concluded that the results demonstrated a positive effect of nutritional supplements on behaviour. However, the numbers involved were small which made drawing wider conclusions difficult.

Law Enforcement Agencies

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what statutory law enforcement agencies and prosecuting authorities there were within the responsibility of his Department; and what complaints procedure is available for each.

John Denham: The Home Office is responsible in England and Wales for the police, the prison service and the national probation directorate. Complaints against the police are dealt with by the Police Complaints Authority; those against the prison service and the national probation directorate by the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman.

Dangerous Driving

Jimmy Wray: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what measures have been introduced by the Government against (a) dangerous drivers and (b) those who consistently offend.

Bob Ainsworth: We are currently considering the report of a major research study into dangerous driving offences and will decide in due course whether to bring forward proposals for change in the law or its administration.
	The Government also produced a consultation paper on road traffic penalties in December 2000 with the purpose of assessing whether the current maximum penalties for road traffic offences remain appropriate. The consultation paper made a number of proposals in respect of dangerous driving including an increase in the maximum penalty from two to five years' imprisonment. We are currently in the final stages of preparing the Government's response to the consultation exercise setting out a final set of recommendations. We expect this to be published in the very near future.

Animal Rights Protests

Martin Linton: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress has been made by the (a) Ministerial Committee on Animal Rights Extremism and (b) police unit within the National Crime Squad on violent animal rights protests.

John Denham: The Ministerial Committee on animal rights extremism has taken a range of measures, including agreeing upon and implementing legislation to allow police to remove intimidatory protesters from outside homes, introducing procedures to prevent disclosure of the home addresses of directors of vulnerable companies, and carrying out a thorough review of the criminal justice system in relation to animal rights cases and identifying improvements where necessary.
	The National Crime Squad has undertaken a number of operations which have resulted in the arrest of 70 individuals for a variety of offences relating to animal extremism, and has supported colleagues nationally in the co-ordination of both intelligence and operational activity.

Retail Crime

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much of the money allocated to his Department in the Budget will be used to tackle retail crime.

John Denham: The additional funding will be used to tackle street crime, as well as for counter terrorism measures, prisons provision and juvenile offenders, related issues. Many of these measures are likely to have a beneficial impact on reducing retail crime.

Retail Crime

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what measures his Department is taking to tackle retail crime.

John Denham: My right hon. Friend the Home Secretary announced on 27 June last year the provision of £15 million over three years from the Capital Modernisation Fund to assist small retailers in deprived areas to improve the security of their businesses. £3 million was available in the 2001–02 financial year, with a further £6 million in both 2002–03 and 2003–04.
	This money, which is being spent on schemes identified by Regional Crime Reduction Directors, in conjunction with Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnerships, is being used to help small retailers to improve security. This is being achieved by employing a variety of interventions, including enhancing the security of individual premises and improving the environment of shopping centres. Nearly 3,000 shops in 114 retail schemes in some of the most deprived areas in England and Wales benefited from first year funds. More shops will be assisted in the next two years.
	The Home Office has also supported work undertaken to establish retail crime partnerships by funding a consultant post for the past two years. The consultant has worked closely with the British Retail Consortium to produce a definitive guide on how to establish and run a retail crime partnership and encouraged retailers and other stakeholders in main shopping centre areas to establish partnerships to tackle retail and related crime.
	Funding totalling £223,000 was also given to aid retail crime reduction initiatives under various programmes administered by regional crime reduction directors in the financial year ending 31 March 2002 and a further £86,500 is expected to be disbursed through regional crime reduction directors specifically for retail crime reduction initiatives in the current financial year.
	Other funding under the Crime Reduction Programme, such as the £170 million for schemes for the installation of closed circuit television, particularly in town centres, will help to reduce shop theft as well as other types of crime. Other initiatives such as the street wardens schemes will also be of benefit to retailers in the areas where they operate.
	The Home Office also makes advice available to retailers and crime reduction practitioners on the crime reduction website, including best practice guidance in the "Toolkit" on Business and Retail Crime give website address. Booklets which give crime reduction guidance to retailers have also recently been updated and give advice in a user-friendly postcard format leaflet entitled "Don't Discount Crime".

Retail Crime

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to offer funding to local retail crime prevention initiatives in town shopping centres and secondary shopping areas.

John Denham: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Brighton, Pavilion (Mr. Lepper) on 14 May 2002, Official Report, column 605W.

EU Arrest Warrant

Richard Spring: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the proposed EU arrest warrant will apply to extradition requests by military tribunals.

Bob Ainsworth: Our extradition law currently provides that we cannot extradite for offences which are purely military offences and have no equivalent under general criminal law. We intend to replicate that provision in the new law. However, we have always been prepared to extradite in cases where an individual has committed a military offence which has a counterpart under criminal law. It is therefore legally possible under present arrangements, although exceptionally rare, for an extradition partner to seek the return of an individual to appear before a military court.
	Under the terms of Article 6 of the Framework Decision on the European Arrest Warrant, it is the responsibility of each member state to designate its issuing judicial authorities. In principle, it would therefore be possible for a European Arrest Warrant to be issued by a military tribunal, although such instances are likely to be rare.

National Criminal Intelligence Service

Jim Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if, pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Beaconsfield (Mr. Grieve) of 9 May 2002, Official Report, column 322W, how many and what percentage of financial disclosures were received by the National Criminal Intelligence Service in 2000, broken down by category of source; and what was the average number of financial disclosures for each relevant member of staff at NCIS in that year.

Bob Ainsworth: holding answer 15 April 2002
	In 2000, the Economic Crime Branch of the National Criminal Intelligence Service (NCIS) received 18,408 suspicious transaction reports from the following sources:
	
		
			   Number Percentage 
		
		
			 Banks 11,532 62.65 
			 Bureaux/money transfer 2,801 15.21 
			 Building societies 1,756 9.54 
			 Insurance 606 3.29 
			 Solicitors 248 1.35 
			 Gaming/betting 316 1.72 
			 Securities firms 128 0.70 
			 Mortgage 123 0.67 
			 Motor organisation 120 0.65 
			 Independent financial adviser 108 0.59 
			 Accountants 77 0.42 
			 Regulators 64 0.35 
			 Credit cards 44 0.24 
			 Asset management 39 0.21 
			 Auction houses 24 0.13 
			 Cheque cashiers 12 0.07 
			 Estate agent 3 0.02 
			 Company formation 2 0.01 
			 Market and exchange 1 0.01 
			 Others 404 2.19 
		
	
	Due to the varying roles and responsibilities of staff within the Economic Crime Branch, information relating to the average number of financial disclosures for each relevant member of staff for NCIS is not readily available. 30 members of staff were employed in the Economic Crime Branch in April 2000, but not all would have been dealing with financial disclosures.

PRIME MINISTER

Ministerial Statement

Robert Syms: To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to the statement of the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions of 9 May 2002, Official Report, column 303, if (a) he, (b) his political and press advisers, (c) other Downing street staff and (d) Ministers discussed this recommendation with (i) the Cabinet secretary and (ii) his staff prior to the recommendation being made to the permanent secretary to the Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions that he should make such a statement.

Tony Blair: The circumstances which led to the statement made by the permanent secretary of the Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions have been set out in evidence to the Public Administration Select Committee.

Nepal

James Gray: To ask the Prime Minister what further discussions he plans with the Prime Minister of Nepal about the Gurkhas.

Tony Blair: I have no immediate plans for discussion with the Prime Minister of Nepal.

Nepal

James Gray: To ask the Prime Minister if he introduced Mrs. Blair to the Prime Minister of Nepal on his visit on 13 May.

Tony Blair: No.

Lord-Lieutenant of Essex

Bob Russell: To ask the Prime Minister what the arrangements are for the appointment of the next lord-lieutenant of Essex; who is serving on the committee considering names; and who appointed them.

Tony Blair: Lord-lieutenants are appointed by the Queen on my advice. The Prime Minister's secretary for appointments is responsible for carrying out a wide consultation process within the county on my behalf, as is the case with all lord-lieutenants in England. The consultation is now complete and I understand that included correspondence with the hon. Member. We hope to announce the successor to Lord Braybrooke shortly.
	The secretary for appointments is a senior civil servant and was appointed following a competition within the civil service.

WORK AND PENSIONS

Pensions

David Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  pursuant to the answer of 23 November 2001, Official Report, column 534W, on non-state pensions, how the figures for 2000 were calculated from the data contained in the ONS MQ5 Survey;
	(2)  pursuant to the answer of 23 November 2001, Official Report, column 534W, on non-state pensions, if he will break down each year's contributions between (a) contributions to self-administered pension arrangements, (b) regular premiums to individual insured pension arrangements, (c) single premiums to individual insured pension arrangements, (d) regular premiums to group insured pension arrangements and (e) single premiums to group insured pension arrangements;
	(3)  pursuant to the answer of 23 November 2001, Official Report, column 534W, on non-state pensions, whether individual transfers from one insured pension provider to another have been excluded from the answer; and if he will estimate the amount of such transfers in each year;
	(4)  pursuant to the answer of 23 November 2001, Official Report, column 534W, on non-state pensions, whether investments of existing assets of self-administered pension funds in (a) managed funds and (b) annuity contracts operated by insurance companies have been excluded from the answer; and if he will estimate the amount thereby excluded in each year;
	(5)  pursuant to the answer of 23 November 2001, Official Report, column 534W, on non-state pensions, if he will estimate the number of individuals for or by whom contributions were made in each year from 1992 to 2000.

Ian McCartney: The figures quoted in my answer of 23 November 2001, Official Report, column 534W, are updated in the table. It is necessary to update them because the Office for National Statistics reissued the figures on which they are based on 16 May 2002.
	Table 1 shows the amount contributed to non-state pensions for all years from 1992 to 2001. The figures include contributions of both employers and employees to self-administered pension funds and the pensions business of insurance companies.
	As before, the figures show that there has been sustained growth in contributions to non-state pensions. The figures suggest that the stable economy has created the right conditions to save, and that our policies to encourage higher levels of private saving are having a positive effect.
	The method used to calculate the figures is set out in the notes to the table.
	
		Table 1: Contributions to non-state pensions -- £ billion
		
			  Cash terms 1997 prices 
		
		
			 1992 32 37 
			 1993 37 41 
			 1994 34 37 
			 1995 36 38 
			 1996 43 44 
			 1997 50 50 
			 1998 62 60 
			 1999 67 63 
			 2000 74 68 
			 2001 86 77 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. All figures rounded to nearest £ billion.
	2. Figures are based on the ONS MQ5 publication. They have been recalculated in light of the reissue of the MQ5 publication on 16 May 2002. The MQ5 publication is subject to change because it is under constant review. Since the figures above are dependent on MQ5, they are similarly subject to change.
	3. The figures shown in cash terms are the sum of the series RKDL and RKAF in the ONS MQ5 publication.
	4. The figures shown in 1997 prices are the sum of the same series after adjustment for price changes using the RPI index.
	5. There is a small discontinuity in the series between 1998 and 1999. For further information see ONS's pension fund surveys technical article of 16 May 2002, available at www.statistics.gov.uk/ products/p502.asp.
	6. The data in the above table may include some transfers from one insured pension provider to another. ONS, who produce the underlying data, look out for this possible problem and, where identified, correct for it. Information on the amount of these transfers is not available.
	7. Investment of existing assets of self-administered pension funds in managed funds and annuity contracts operated by insurance companies have not been excluded.
	The figures in 1997 price terms in the table represent an update to the DWP's indicator 'Amount contributed to non-state pensions—real terms (United Kingdom)'. This indicator is one of the set monitored in the Government's annual poverty and social exclusion report, "Opportunity for All". The latest report, "Opportunity for All—Making Progress" (Cm 5260) was published in September 2001.
	The breakdown of these figures between different types of contributions is set out in table 2 in cash terms and then in 1997 price terms.
	
		Table 2
		
			  Contributions to self-administered pension arrangements Regular premiums to individual/personal insured pension arrangements Single premiums to individual/personal insured pension arrangements Regular premiums to group insured pension arrangements Single premiums to group insured pension arrangements Total contributions to non-state pensions 
		
		
			 Cash terms   
			 1992 9 6 8 4 5 32 
			 1993 10 7 10 4 6 37 
			 1994 11 7 7 3 6 34 
			 1995 11 8 7 4 6 36 
			 1996 12 7 10 4 10 43 
			 1997 12 9 11 4 14 50 
			 1998 11 10 13 4 24 62 
			 1999 14 10 12 4 26 67 
			 2000 16 9 18 4 27 74 
			 2001 16 12 24 4 31 86 
			   
			 1997 price terms   
			 1992 11 7 10 4 5 37 
			 1993 11 7 11 4 7 41 
			 1994 12 7 7 4 6 37 
			 1995 12 8 8 4 6 38 
			 1996 12 7 10 4 11 44 
			 1997 12 9 11 4 14 50 
			 1998 11 10 12 4 23 60 
			 1999 13 9 12 4 25 63 
			 2000 14 9 17 3 25 68 
			 2001 14 10 21 4 27 77 
			 ONS data series on which 
			 figures are based RKDL RLVQ RLQU RKPX RLQX — 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. All notes to table 1 also apply to this table, except for notes 3 and 4, which do not apply.
	2. The figures shows in cash terms are from the ONS MQ5 publication and are the series named in the last row of the table.
	3. The figures shown in 1997 prices are the same series after adjustment for price changes using the RPI index.
	4. Figures may not exactly add up to the totals due to rounding errors.
	The source used to derive the above information does not enable an estimate to be made of the number of individuals for or by whom contributions to non-state pensions were made. However it is possible to estimate similar information using the Family Resources Survey. These figures are not directly comparable to those above because they are derived from a different source. Estimates are shown in the following table for the years available.
	
		Table 3
		
			   Number of people who are members of a non-state pension Number of people currently contributing to a non-state pension 
		
		
			 1995–96 15.5 n/a 
			 1996–97 15.1 n/a 
			 1997–98 15.0 n/a 
			 1998–99 15.2 n/a 
			 1999–2000 n/a 14.4 
			 2000–01 n/a 14.4 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Figures are rounded to nearest 100,000.
	2. Figures are for people aged 20 to state pension age.
	3. Estimates are based on the Family Resources Survey. There are alternative estimates of similar information which produce slightly different results.
	4. Estimates are subject to error inherent in survey-based data.

Pensions

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to his answer of 2 May 2002, Official Report, column 978W, if he will provide information on male pensioners on the same basis.

Ian McCartney: The information requested for different pensioner groups has been provided on the same basis. Figures have been provided where sample sizes and other factors dictate that they are sufficiently robust. In the case of the information requested for single pensioners, sample sizes for single men were too small to allow robust comparisons over short time periods to be carried out, whereas sample sizes for single women were larger as there are more of this group in the population.

Pension Annuities

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many replies were received in the course of the Government's consultation on pension annuities; and how many were in favour of reform.

Ruth Kelly: I have been asked to reply.
	601 responses have been received and are currently receiving careful analysis.

Employment Agencies Act

Nick Hawkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when he plans to publish draft legislation for new regulations under the Employment Agencies Act 1973 relating to agents for the acting profession and performing arts.

Alan Johnson: I have been asked to reply.
	We will shortly be issuing the revised draft Conduct of Employment Agencies and Employment Businesses Regulations, which will cover the private recruitment industry, including agents acting on behalf of those engaged in the entertainment sector. There will then be a consultation exercise on certain aspects of those regulations.

Correspondence

Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the average response time was for responding to departmental correspondence; what percentage of letters took longer than one month for a response; and what percentage took longer than three months for a response in each of the last five years.

Maria Eagle: Information on correspondence received from all sources across the whole Department is not maintained in the format requested. General information on the volumes of correspondence received and on overall performance across Whitehall is published by the Cabinet Office. The figures up to 2000 were published on 6 April 2001, Official Report, columns 324–28W, and on 19 July 2001, Official Report, columns 454–56W. The combined DSS/DWP average response time during 2001 for letters from Members to Ministers was 18 days. 34 per cent. took longer than 20 working days for a response. In DWP only for 2001, the average response time to letters from Members to DWP Ministers was 15 days, and 29 per cent. took longer than 20 working days for a response. The Cabinet Office will be publishing further figures on the volumes and performance on correspondence shortly.

Departmental Report

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when the 2002 departmental report will be published.

Nick Brown: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Chief Secretary to the Treasury on 15 April 2002, Official Report, column 774W.

HIV

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will propose amendments to the Liability Discrimination Act 1995 to protect people with HIV from discrimination at the point of diagnosis.

Maria Eagle: We are considering a number of proposals for changes to the Disability Discrimination Act. We are considering our legislative strategy in the light of responses to the recent consultation on "Towards Equality and Diversity" which concerns implementation of the European Community employment directive.

Jobcentres

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps he plans to take to improve access to jobcentres in rural areas under the new deal arrangements.

Nick Brown: The administration of Jobcentre Plus is a matter for the chief executive, Leigh Lewis. I have asked him to reply to the hon. Member.
	Letter from Leigh Lewis to Miss Anne McIntosh, dated May 2002
	As Jobcentre Plus is an Executive Agency, the Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question concerning the steps to be taken to improve access to jobcentres in rural areas under the New Deal arrangements. This is something which falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of the Agency.
	Jobcentre Plus understands the difficulties that people living in rural areas can face, both in securing employment and gaining access to our services. Staff in rural jobcentres work with clients on an individual basis to explore ways to overcome these problems and will often give advice on either jobsearch or benefits over the telephone. They can offer also postal signing arrangements where that is permissible.
	We have also introduced new services which should be particularly useful for our customers in rural areas. "Jobseeker Direct" – on 0845 6060234 – is a telephone jobfinding service available to both unemployed and employed people. They can also look for jobs and learning opportunities on the internet, with our two websites www.jobcentreplus.gov.uk and www.worktrain.gov.uk.
	I hope this is helpful.

Direct Bank

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will estimate the (a) percentage and (b) amount of funding that (i) the Government and (ii) the banks will invest to establish the new direct bank.

Malcolm Wicks: The Government have recently signed contracts with Post Office Ltd. for the provision of the new card account at Post Office. This is a commercial arrangement for the provision of a service and does not constitute direct funding. The precise value of the contracts will depend on the number of card accounts.
	The main UK high street banks and the Nationwide Building Society have together agreed to contribute a total of £180 million over five years towards the costs of the new card account at Post Office. They have also agreed to make their introductory bank accounts accessible through post offices.

International Social Security Agreements

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when each international reciprocal social security agreement was entered into; and what the extent of the reciprocity is in each case.

Maria Eagle: The information on reciprocal social security agreements with other countries is as follows.
	The main purpose of such reciprocal agreements is to protect the social security position of workers moving between the two countries during their working lives. They prevent employees, their employers and the self-employed from having to pay social security contributions to both the home state and the state of employment at the same time and ensure that such workers' rights to certain benefits are maintained. They vary to some extent from country to country depending on the nature and scope of the other country's social security scheme. Generally, they cover contributory benefits in respect of the following contingencies: sickness, invalidity, unemployment, retirement, bereavement and industrial injuries. Workers who have contributed to both countries' schemes during their working lives can usually receive an old age pension from each country which reflects the proportionate amount or their insurance in, or contributions to, each country's scheme.
	List of current reciprocal social security agreements and the year they came into force
	Austria
	Barbados—1981 (replaced the 1971 agreement)
	Belgium—1992
	Bermuda—1958
	Canada—1969
	Cyprus—1995 (replaced the 1959 agreement)
	Denmark—1983 (replaced the 1959 agreement)
	Finland—1960
	France—1984 (replaced the 1959 agreement)
	Germany—1958
	Gibraltar—1961
	Iceland—1974
	Ireland—1985
	Isle of Man—1960
	Israel—1977 (replaced the 1948 agreement)
	Italy—1957
	Jamaica—1953
	Jersey and Guernsey—1997 (replaced the 1972 agreement)
	Luxembourg—1994 (replaced the 1978 agreement)
	Malta—1955
	Mauritius—1966 (replaced the 1956 agreement)
	Netherlands—1981
	New Zealand—1955
	Norway—1983 (replaced the 1969 agreement)
	Philippines—1991 (replaced the 1957 agreement)
	Portugal—1989
	Spain—1979
	Sweden—1975
	Switzerland—1988 (replaced the 1956 agreement)
	Turkey—1969
	USA—1961
	Yugoslavia 1 —1984 (replaced the 1969 agreement)
	1 Now applies to: the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (Serbia- Montenegro—1958), Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, Slovenia and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia.

Maladministration

Annabelle Ewing: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many findings there have been of maladministration by ombudsmen with responsibility for agencies under the remit of his Department since 1997.

Nick Brown: Information on the handling of complaints is set out in tabular form by the parliamentary ombudsman each year as an attachment to his annual report. For those complaints where there was evidence of maladministration which warranted full investigation, the table sets out how many complaints were upheld as being fully or partially justified. The parliamentary ombudsman's annual reports for the period 1997–98 to 2000–01 inclusive are available in the Library and can be viewed on the parliamentary ombudsman's website at www.ombudsman.org.uk/publications.

Pensioners

Tim Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many newly qualified pensioners have lost part of their state retirement pension in each of the past five years on account of failure to apply within three months of the qualifying date for first payment; what the total was in (a) unpaid pension entitlement and (b) discretionary payment of restored pension in cases where administration failure has occurred; and if he will make a statement.

Ian McCartney: Because pensioners can elect to defer payments of their pensions for up to five years in order to earn increments which increase the amount payable, information on the number of people who fail to make a claim for state retirement pension within the statutory period is not available.
	In a very small number of cases administrative failure causes the late payment of entitlements. Where this is the case extra statutory payments of state retirement pension are paid. Details of payment in the last five years are set out in the table.
	
		
			 Period Cases paid Total amount paid (£) 
		
		
			 1997–98(26) 241 674,776.23 
			 1998–99(26) 204 513,077.55 
			 1999–2000(26) 150 347,599.80 
			 2000–01(26) 291 659,868.56 
			 2001–02(26) 138 286,233.40 
		
	
	(26) 12 months April to March

Anglo-Italian Meetings

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions on how many occasions in the last six months (a) he and (b) his officials have met their Italian counterparts; and what subjects were discussed.

Alistair Darling: I met my Italian counterpart, Roberto Maroni, in London on 5 February 2002, when we discussed labour market reforms in the UK and Italy.

Incapacity Benefit

Tom Levitt: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what plans he has to reduce non-attendance at personal capability assessment examinations for incapacity benefit.

Nick Brown: When people claim incapacity benefits they are normally required to undergo a Personal Capability Assessment carried out by SchlumbergerSema Medical Services on behalf of the DWP. Currently, around 25 per cent. of customers nationally do not attend their appointment, which are arranged by correspondence.
	A telephone appointment booking service has been piloted in Derby and Stoke (from October 2001) and in Liverpool (Bootle and Mann Island), Acton and Euston (from February 2002). This has proved very successful in reducing non-attendance, reducing waiting time for customers at medical centres and allowing customers to discuss the PCA process with staff prior to their appointment. As well as providing a better customer service, the new process has improved administration and made better use of doctors' time. We therefore intend to adopt the process nationally by the end of June 2002.

Benefit Fraud Inspectorate

Howard Stoate: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when he will publish the inspection report of the Benefit Fraud Inspectorate in respect of Derby city council.

Malcolm Wicks: The Benefit Fraud Inspectorate's report on Derby city council was published today and copies of the report have been placed in the Library.
	The report finds that there are inconsistencies in the way that Derby city council administers benefit. On the one hand, the council gives a high priority to promoting and paying benefit and is commended for these activities. However, local authorities also have a duty to safeguard their activities against fraud, irregularity and corrupt practices. At Derby, BFI finds that the council has neglected counter fraud activity, detecting error and recovering overpaid benefit.
	The BFI commends the council for its work on benefits take-up and social policies which support the high level of importance that elected members give to promoting and paying benefit and to providing a high quality customer service. However, the BFI is extremely concerned that this has been prioritised to the detriment of other responsibilities. Inspectors found the council has created an environment where benefits, overpayments and counter fraud sections have been hindered from focusing on reducing fraud and error.
	Management checking was abandoned in August 1999 due to IT problems and as a result there is no assurance on the security on access to benefits.
	The report finds that the council has carried out counter fraud activities simply to achieve Weekly Benefits Savings targets, with little commitment to reducing, deterring or eradicating fraud and error. The fraud team has been managed on a part-time basis since September 2000 and little effort has been made to prosecute fraudsters.
	The report makes a great number of recommendations to the council to help to raise the standard of both benefits administration and counter fraud work.

HEALTH

Design Champion

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the reasons were for the selection of Lord Hunt of King's Heath as the Department of Health's Design Champion.

Hazel Blears: The Department's design programme "Achieving Excellence in Healthcare Design" was launched by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State in November 2001. This programme will be realised by NHS Estates.
	My noble Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (the Lord Hunt of Kings Heath) is the Health Minister with direct responsibility for many of NHS Estates' key objectives. He is personally mentoring four schemes at Central Manchester Teaching Hospitals NHS trust, University hospitals Birmingham NHS trust, Walsall hospitals NHS trust and Leicester city west NHS trust.

Homeless People

Evan Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what (a) number and (b) percentage of people who are considered homeless have been diagnosed with mental health problems.

Ruth Kelly: I have been asked to reply.
	The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician. I have asked him to reply.
	Letter from Len Cook to Dr. Evan Harris, dated 16 May 2002
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent parliamentary question concerning the (a) number and (b) percentage of people who are considered homeless have been diagnosed with mental health problems. (56156)
	National figures for the number and percentage of people considered homeless who have been diagnosed with mental health problems are not available. However, in 1994 a national survey of mental disorder among homeless people aged 16 to 64 was carried out by ONS (then OPCS) on behalf of the Department of Health. In order to include all groups of homeless people, separate samples were selected from:
	hostels (530 people)
	private sector leased and short life accommodation (268 people)
	people sleeping rough and using nightshelters (187 people) and day centres (181 people).
	The attached table gives the prevalence of mental disorder found in the survey among homeless people resident in hostel and private sector leased accommodation. Further details of how disorder was assessed in this survey and the way in which the sample was selected can be found in Gill et al, (1996) Psychiatric morbidity among homeless people, London: HMSO.
	
		Table 1: Prevalence of mental disorder among homeless people in 1994 -- Great BritainPercentage assessed with disorder
		
			   Type of disorder  
			  Psychotic disorder(27) Neurotic disorders(28) Alcohol dependence Drug dependence(29) GHQ12 score(30) >=4 
		
		
			  Homeless adults in   
			 Hostels 8 41 16 11 39 
			 Private sector leased accommodation 2 38 3 7 42 
			 Nightshelters n/a n/a 44 29 59 
			 Sleeping rough and using day centres n/a n/a 50 24 57 
		
	
	(27) Disorders such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.
	(28) Disorders such as depression, generalised anxiety disorders, phobias, etc. (often called common mental disorders).
	(29) People were defined as dependent on a drug if they had taken it every day for two weeks or more in the past year, and they had taken the drug more than prescribed, without prescription or to get high.
	(30) The General Health Questionnaire (GHQ12) is a short questionnaire designed to detect mental health problems. Comparison between GHQ scores in the samples of residents in hostels and private sector leased accommodation and the measure of neurotic disorders used in this survey showed that a person scoring four or above has a high probability of being assessed as having a neurotic disorder.

Litigation

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many cases (a) his Department and (b) its agencies have defended in (i) industrial tribunals and (ii) the courts in each year since 1997; how many were concluded in their favour; and what the total cost to his Department of litigation was in each year.

Hazel Blears: The available information is shown in the table. Detailed information for 1997–99 is not readily available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	
		
			 Cases defended by Department and its agencies  Result Costs (Counsel fees and settlement costs) £ 
		
		
			 1997   
			 17 — — 
			
			 1998   
			 31 — — 
			
			 1999   
			 18 — — 
			
			 2000   
			 30 16 concluded in our favour 14,574.00 
			  14 on-going 19,342.00 
			
			 2001   
			 28 12 concluded in our favour 47,656.00 
			  16 on-going 11,650.00 
			 9,500 part-time pension cases On-going — 
		
	
	Notes:
	The Department's agencies are Medicines Control Agency, Medical Devices Agency, NHS Pensions Agency, NHS Estates, NHS Purchasing and Supplies Agency. They are not always recorded separately and therefore a split between them cannot be shown.
	All figures are for employment tribunal cases and not "the courts".
	The costs given relate to settlement costs and counsels' fees.
	Cases concluded in our favour are cases that have been dismissed, withdrawn, struck out or settled. The Department chooses to settle in some cases to ensure cost effectiveness. It is not normally for a large sum of money.
	The part time pension cases concern issues of equal pay and sex discrimination and they are on-going (commenced in 1995).

New Hospitals

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what new hospital schemes were given the go-ahead in (a) 2001 and (b) 2002.

John Hutton: A list of new hospital schemes (with a capital value of £10 million or greater) which have been given the go-ahead in 2001 and 2002 is given below.
	Approved to go-ahead under the Private Finance Initiative (PFI):
	2001:
	University Hospital Birmingham/South Birmingham Mental Health NHS Trusts
	Bradford Hospitals NHS Trust
	Avon and Western Wiltshire Mental Health NHS Trust
	North West London Hospitals NHS Trust
	East Kent Hospitals NHS Trust
	University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust
	Lewisham Hospital NHS Trust
	Peterborough Hospitals NHS Trust
	Salford Royal Hospitals NHS Trust
	Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells/Invicta Community
	Pinderfield and Pontefract Hospitals/Wakefield & Pontefract Community/Dewsbury Health Care NHS Trust
	Forest Healthcare NHS Trust
	Brighton Health Care NHS Trust
	United Bristol Healthcare NHS Trust
	Sherwood Forest Hospitals NHS Trust
	Barnet and Chase Farm Hospitals NHS Trust
	Mid Essex Hospitals NHS Trust
	Essex Rivers Healthcare NHS Trust
	Hull and East Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust
	North Middlesex Hospitals NHS Trust
	North Staffordshire Hospitals NHS Trusts
	Plymouth Hospitals NHS Trust
	St. Helens and Knowsley Hospitals NHS Trust
	Walsall Hospitals/Walsall Community Health NHS Trusts
	Royal Wolverhampton Hospitals NHS Trust
	Oxford Radcliffe Hospitals NHS Trust
	Southampton University Hospitals NHS Trust
	South Devon Healthcare NHS Trust
	Tameside and Glossop Acute Services NHS Trust
	Northumberland Mental Health—St. George's Morpeth
	Leeds Teaching Hospitals—Wharfedale
	The Kingston Hospital NHS Trust
	Publicly Funded Schemes
	Northern Lincolnshire and Goole Hospitals NHS Trust
	Barnet PCT (Edgware Community)
	Blackpool Heart Centre
	Liverpool Cardio-thoracic Centre
	Central Manchester Heart Centre
	South Manchester Heart Centre
	Southampton Cardio-thoracic Centre
	Derriford Heart Centre, Plymouth
	2002
	Brighton Healthcare NHS Trust—Royal Alexandra Hospital for sick children.

St. Ebba's Hospital, Epsom

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what plans he has for the residual mental health service on the St. Ebba's hospital site in Epsom;
	(2)  if he will build a village community on the St. Ebba's site for people with learning disabilities;
	(3)  what account he has taken of the proposals put by members of the St. Ebba's parents and relatives group since the end of the public inquiry in its future plans for the site; and if he will make a statement.

Hazel Blears: Surrey Oaklands national health service trust has plans for a total of 55 residents to be cared for on the reconfigured site with a further six people to be cared for in an adjacent home with easy access to on-site facilities.
	Three homes providing continuing care are already open. The proposals for the further use of the St. Ebba's site are still under development. Current proposals envisaged that all building work should be completed and the remaining accommodation available for occupation by early 2004. The St. Ebba's parents and relatives group has been fully involved in all stages of the planning process.

PFI

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the total savings to public funds of the Private Finance Initiative contract for the adult acute psychiatric unit reprovision for the Thames Gateway NHS trust by comparison with a non-private finance initiative alternative.

John Hutton: The business case justifying the individual schemes estimated the net savings in present value terms (i.e. all future costs and benefits discounted to their present values) compared with publicly funding the scheme as follows:
	
		Net present costs of PSC v PFI option
		
			  Thames Gateway NHS trust 
		
		
			 PFI (£000) 54,245 
			 Public (£000) 55,778 
			 Savings in net present value terms (£000) 1,533 
			 Percentage difference 2.75

Primary Care Trusts

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what his estimate is of delays in PCT investment due to the need to obtain private sector partners; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  if he will provide for 2002–03 his estimate of investment by primary care trusts via (a) NHS LIFT involving private sector partners, (b) direct NHS sources and (c) other sources; what is the average amount for each category, per PCT; and if he will make a statement;
	(3)  what arrangements he has put in place to avoid variations in LIFT funding to PCTs because of differences in access to private sector partners; and if he will make a statement.

John Hutton: The NHS Local Improvement Finance Trust (NHS LIFT) initiative was announced in the NHS Plan. The initiative aims to deliver a step change in the quality of the primary care estate. LIFT's initial focus has been to encourage investment in those parts of the country—such as inner cities—where primary care services are in most need of improvement.
	In February 2001, the Department prioritised an initial six LIFT schemes, and in January 2002 a further 12 LIFT schemes were identified. We anticipate approving a third wave of schemes later this year.
	The Department has earmarked a total of £195 million (over the current spending review period) to support localities develop their LIFT schemes. All LIFT localities will receive significant levels of financial assistance. The level of this funding is dependent on a number of local factors such as size of the scheme.
	The Department is also providing technical assistance to help PCTs develop their investment proposals, and is confident that all localities will attract private partners offering affordable solutions.
	Two of the first wave LIFT schemes (east London and the City and Camden and Islington) recently issued tender documentation. The value of the initial investment requirement in east London and the City is £62.5 million, and in Camden and Islington is £17 million.
	Once fully established locally, LIFT will help deliver quicker across the piece solutions for primary care. The LIFT approach enables the needs of the whole locality to be considered in a systematic manner, and aims to deliver speedier solutions by using a standardised approach to procurement.

Riding for the Disabled Association

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the timetable for finalising agreement with the Epsom Riding for the Disabled Association for the sale of land in Epsom.

Hazel Blears: I am pleased to be able to advise that the terms discussed between the district valuer and the Epsom Riding for the Disabled Group have been approved and a draft contract for sale is being prepared.

Health Care International

Peter Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients of English health authorities were treated in the last year at Health Care International at Clydebank.

John Hutton: We are aware that a number of national health service patients from the west midlands and north-west of England have been treated in the last year at the Health Care International medical centre in Clydebank, but we do not hold comprehensive information centrally on the number of NHS patients treated at this, or any other, independent sector hospital in the UK.

Consultants

Clive Efford: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to publish performance statistics for individual consultants for work carried out in (a) the NHS and (b) the private sector; and if he will make a statement.

Hazel Blears: The Government agreed with the Bristol inquiry recommendation that patients and the public must be able to obtain information as to the relative performance of the trust and the services and the consultant units within the trust (recommendation 155 of the report of the public inquiry into children's heart surgery at the Bristol Royal Infirmary 1984–1995).
	The Government made a further commitment that the Department would publish information on individual consultants. As a first step the Department will be publishing outcomes from coronary artery bypass graft operations by individual surgeon. Data collection started on 1 April 2002 and the first set of data will be published in 2004.
	The Department is working with the medical profession to extend the number and range of specialities where robust, rigorous and risk-adjusted information on both the consultant's and the unit's comparative performance can be published.
	On 1 April this year, the National Care Standards Commission took over responsibility for the regulation of independent health care providers, including private hospitals. Data on key clinical indicators that are a reflection on the quality of care received by a patient will be collected by inspection teams, and this will continue when the Commission for Healthcare Audit and Inspection takes over the regulatory system. The approaches to data collection will be tested to ensure that it is robust before publishing the results. It is likely that in due course, data on clinical performance will be published in line with that on national health service hospitals.

Devolution

Ian Liddell-Grainger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what meetings he has initiated with Health Ministers from devolved Administrations in the last two years.

Hazel Blears: Ministers at the Department have met Ministers from the devolved Administrations on a number of occasions over the past two years. The full Joint Ministerial Committee on Health first met in April 2000 and met a further three times that year and once in 2001. There are also other multilateral meetings held regularly both at ministerial and official level, such as the Four Ways meeting of Health Ministers which last took place in January of this year.

NHS Direct

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many out-of-hours services have opted out of NHS Direct in the past 12 months.

Hazel Blears: No out-of-hours providers have opted out of NHS Direct in the past 12 months.

Intensive Care Beds

Evan Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many intensive care beds were counted in the critical care census in each census since it began in 1999; and whether these beds were recorded as staffed and in use.

Hazel Blears: I would refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Woodspring (Dr. Fox) on 23 April 2002 , Official Report, column 244W. The number of critical care beds reported on each of the census days is the number staffed and available for the use of critically ill patients, or are actually being used, by critically ill patients on that day.

MLX 282 Consultation Document

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many responses were received by the Medicines Control Agency in response to the MLX 282 consultation document issued on 13 February; what percentage were in favour of the measures proposed; and how many and what percentage were from pharmaceutical companies.

Hazel Blears: MLX 282 is a consultation document on proposals from the European Commission to amend the body of EC legislation that regulates medicinal products for human use. The proposals for reform are wide- ranging.
	MLX 282 was issued on 13 February 2002 by the Medicines Control Agency (MCA), inviting views, to 247 recipients including trade associations representing the pharmaceutical and related industries, practitioners' representative bodies and patient groups. Individual pharmaceutical companies were not approached. The formal consultation period ended on 10 May 2002.
	An advertisement placed in a national daily newspaper on Tuesday 23 April has generated a number of identical e-mail responses expressing reservations about a possible increase in the regulation of the natural health therapies sector at the EU and national level. In addition the MCA has so far received 12 formal responses to the consultation. 9 of those focused on and opposed the possible increase in the regulation of the natural health therapies sector.

Natural Health Therapies

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the adoption of EU Directive 2001/83/EC into UK law and its impact on the use of natural health therapies.

Hazel Blears: The European Commission has proposed amendments to EU Directive 2001/83/EC which forms part of the body of EC legislation which regulates medicinal products for human use. The proposed amendments are currently being discussed by the Council of Ministers and the European Parliament. Once adopted by the Council of Ministers they will have to be transposed into UK law.
	The medicines legislation currently applies only to licensed medicinal products. However, the Commission's proposed amendments, if adopted as drafted, will widen the definition of a medicine and bring more products within the scope of medicines legislation.
	The UK is firmly opposed to this proposal and is resisting it strongly in the negotiations.

Maintenance Costs

Evan Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the backlog maintenance cost to each estate code B was in (a) England and (b) each NHS region in the most recent year for which figures are available indicating how much is attributable to (i) fire safety and (ii) other safety costs.

Hazel Blears: Backlog maintenance costs to achieve estate code condition B for fire safety and health and safety is collected annually via the estate returns information collection system managed by National Health Service Estates.
	The following table, based on best available data, shows total backlog maintenance costs for fire safety and health and safety reported by NHS trusts in England for the most recent year, 2000–01, broken down by NHS regions.
	
		2000–01 -- £000
		
			 Region Cost to achieve fire safety estate code condition B Cost to achieve health and safety estate code condition B 
		
		
			 Northern and Yorkshire 33,333 38,412 
			 Trent 45,781 35,317 
			 Eastern 15,506 23,925 
			 London 70,683 110,878 
			 South-eastern 24,688 47,928 
			 South-west 9,155 26,844 
			 West midlands 18,098 38,857 
			 North-west 27,963 40,508 
			  
			 Total for England 245,206 362,670

NHS Dentistry

Joan Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what incentives his Department offers to keep dentists in NHS practices.

Hazel Blears: Over the last 18 months we have spent £100 million on modernising national health service dentistry. £10 million of this was for the dental care development fund and the dentistry action plan fund to support local plans to improve access. This money enables health authorities to assist dentists seeking to set up new practices and to expand and modernise existing ones. Furthermore, the £35 million modernisation fund provided grants for dentists to improve facilities.
	Additionally, the commitment payment scheme, introduced from April 1999, provides incentive payments to dentists, depending on how much NHS work they undertake. From April 2002, the scheme was extended to include dentists who have five years or more service in the NHS. Officials continue to work with the profession to see how the scheme might be strengthened in the future. The Department is also undertaking work with the profession and other stakeholders through the modernising project "Options for Change", to test out new methods of providing NHS dentistry.

NHS Dentistry

Joan Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimates he has made of the leaving rate of dentists from NHS to private practices in the last three years.

Hazel Blears: Very few dentists leave the general dental service (GDS) totally to practice privately. However, dentists in the GDS can vary their level of commitment to the GDS, for example by increasing the amount of their private work.
	The number of dentists leaving the GDS is shown in the table for the years 1998–99 to 2000–01 for England together with the percentages of the number of dentists at the beginning of the year.
	The number of leavers covers all reasons for leaving the GDS including retirement from dental work and dentists taking career breaks. These figures are inflated by the transfer of some dentists from the GDS to some personal dental service pilots.
	
		General dental service (GDS): number of dentists who left the GDS and percentage of principal and total dentists from 1998–99 to 2000–01
		
			  1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01 
		
		
			 Number of leavers
			 Principals 761 780 875 
			 Assistants 106 157 181 
			 Vocational dental practitioners 105 95 136 
			 All dentists 972 1,032 1,192 
			  Leavers as percentage of dentist number at beginning of year (per cent.)  
			 Principals 5 5 5 
			 All dentists 6 6 7

Carson Report

David Chaytor: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if the recommendations of the Carson report will be implemented by 2004; and if he will make a statement.

John Hutton: The Government accepted the recommendations of the Carson Report—"Raising Standards for Patients. New partnerships in Out-of-Hours Care"—which was published in October 2000. A comprehensive work programme is in place to implement these by 2004 in line with the commitments set out in the NHS Plan.

Alcohol (Women)

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of women were recorded as being dependent on alcohol in each of the last five years.

Hazel Blears: The Office for National Statistics estimated that in Great Britain in 2000, 2.9 per cent. of women aged 16 to 74 had some degree of dependence on alcohol: mild or severe dependence was found in 1.0 per cent. (Psychiatric Morbidity Among Adults Living in Private Households, 2000, published by the Stationery Office, London, 2001, ISBN 0 11 621480 5). The prevalence of alcohol dependence in the six months before interview was assessed using the Severity of Alcohol Dependence questionnaire (SAD-Q). Further information is given in the published report, which can be found at www.statistics.gov.uk/ downloads/theme-health/psychmorb.pdf.

Alcohol (Women)

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the percentage of women aged between 16 and 24 years who drank more than the recommended daily benchmarks in (a) the most recent year for which figures are available and (b) each of the last five years.

Hazel Blears: The information available is given in the table:
	
		Alcohol consumption last week, by women aged 16 to 24— Great Britain, 1998, 2000
		
			  1998 2000 
		
		
			 Percentage who drank more than 3 units on at least one day last week 42 42 
			 Base 809 814 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Percentages rounded to the nearest whole figure.
	2. The percentages are based on weighted data; the bases are unweighted numbers.
	Source:
	Office for National Statistics General Household Survey

Alcohol (Women)

Evan Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the percentage of women who (a) drank more than the recommended daily benchmarks at least once a week and (b) drank more than twice the recommended daily benchmarks at least once a week in each of the last five years, including the most recent year for which figures are available.

Hazel Blears: The information available is shown in the table:
	
		Women aged 16 by the maximum daily amount drunk last week—Great Britain, 1998, 2000
		
			 Year 1998 2000 
		
		
			 More than 3 up to 6 units 21 23 
			 More than 6 units 8 10 
			 Base 7,821 7,491 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. The percentages have been rounded to the nearest whole figure.
	Source:
	Office for National Statistics General Household Survey

Alcohol

Evan Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many persons died primarily as a result of the use of alcohol in the last year for which figures are available.

Hazel Blears: Information collected centrally about the cause of deaths does not systematically record whether a death is attributable to alcohol misuse. A number of health and lifestyle factors can contribute to diseases such as cancer, stroke and coronary heart disease, and it can be difficult to isolate alcohol consumption as the most important of these factors.
	A research review commissioned by the Department in 1997 concluded that between 5,000 and 40,000 deaths are attributable to alcohol misuse each year in England and Wales.

Alcohol

Evan Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients have been treated by the NHS for alcohol-related illness in (a) England and (b) each region in each of the last five years.

Hazel Blears: The number of admissions for alcohol- related illnesses in England and the regions are shown in the table.
	
		Admissions for alcohol-related disorders (ICD10 codes F10, K70, T51) by regional office of treatment, NHS hospitals, England 1996–97 to 2000–01
		
			 Regional office Number 
		
		
			 1996–97  
			 Northern and Yorkshire 7,286 
			 Trent 3,860 
			 Anglia and Oxford 2,712 
			 North Thames 4,561 
			 South Thames 5,437 
			 South and West 4,594 
			 West Midlands 5,519 
			 North-west 8,697 
			 Total 42,665 
			   
			 1997–98  
			 Northern and Yorkshire 7,234 
			 Trent 4,707 
			 Anglia and Oxford 3,025 
			 North Thames 5,516 
			 South Thames 6,240 
			 South and West 4,742 
			 West Midlands 5,710 
			 North-west 8,547 
			 Not known 7 
			 Total 45,727 
			   
			 1998–99  
			 Northern and Yorkshire 7,023 
			 Trent 4,263 
			 Anglia and Oxford 2,916 
			 North Thames 5,394 
			 South Thames 5,842 
			 South and West 4,918 
			 West Midlands 5,160 
			 North-west 7,813 
			 Total 43,329 
			   
			 1999–2000  
			 Northern and Yorkshire 7,006 
			 Trent 4,134 
			 West Midlands 5,200 
			 North-west 8,100 
			 Eastern 3,110 
			 London 7,666 
			 South-east 5,433 
			 South-west 3,764 
			 Total 44,412 
			   
			 2000–01  
			 Northern and Yorkshire 6,413 
			 Trent 3,850 
			 West Midlands 4,671 
			 North-west 7,810 
			 Eastern 2,812 
			 London 5,358 
			 South-east 4,918 
			 South-west 3,268 
			 Total 39,100 
		
	
	Notes:
	Data in this table are adjusted for both coverage and unknown/invalid clinical data, except for 2000–01 which are not yet adjusted for shortfalls.
	Source:
	Hospital Episode Statistics (HES), Department of Health

Alcohol

Evan Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will estimate the cost to the NHS of treating alcohol-related illness in each of the last five years.

Hazel Blears: The information available is shown in the table.
	
		Estimated cost of alcohol misuse to the NHS in England and Wales, 1999
		
			   £ million 
		
		
			 In-patient costs—direct alcohol diagnosis 52 
			 In-patient costs—other alcohol related diagnosis 152 
			 General practice costs 4 
			  
			 Total 207 
		
	
	Source:
	Godfrey, C., Harman, G.: Changing the social costs of alcohol. Final report to the AERC. York: Centre for Health Economics, university of York, 1994 (updated by Department of Health (EOR)).

Portsmouth Hospital Trust

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when the new system of management at Portsmouth hospital trust will be in place; what other assistance the Department is giving to the trust; and if he will make a statement.

Hazel Blears: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State announced on 8 May 2002 that the franchise for Portsmouth Hospitals NHS Trust had been awarded to Mr. Alan Bedford. The Department is supporting the trust through the franchising process.

Operating Theatres

Alistair Burt: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to require existing hospitals with only one operating theatre to upgrade by the addition of extra theatres; and if he will make a statement.

John Hutton: We have no plans to require all national health service hospitals with only one operating theatre to purchase additional theatre space. Capacity planning is a matter for local resolution.

Operating Theatres

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many complaints he has received in the latest 12 months for which figures are available from medically qualified NHS personnel concerning the cleanliness of operating theatres; and if he will make a statement.

Hazel Blears: The information requested is not collected centrally.

Consultant Surgeons

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the position of consultant surgeons on 10/11 contracts with the NHS; and what the average time is they spend personally undertaking operations and supervising others in undertaking this work.

John Hutton: Currently a consultant on a maximum part-time contract foregoes one eleventh of national health service salary in return for the lifting of restriction on private practice earnings.
	The Department does not collect data on the amount of time consultants spend undertaking operations or supervising others in doing that work. The annual job planning review provides the basis for the framework of contractual obligations. Job plans cover all aspects of a consultant's practice in the NHS and set out clearly the consultant's time and service commitments. Within the consultant contract negotiations we are seeking to provide a clearer framework in which decisions can be made and agreement reached between consultants and employers about the time to be spent on different categories of activity.

Treatment Abroad

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients have been treated overseas at the expense of the NHS in the past six months.

John Hutton: 190 national health service patients have travelled overseas to receive treatment since January 18 under the pilot scheme to refer NHS patients overseas.
	Between 1 November 2001 and 30 April 2002, 534 applications were approved for referral of patients specifically for treatment in another European Economic Area member state of pre-existing conditions under the E112 arrangements contained in regulation (EEC) 1408/71. This regulation also allows treatments to be provided in other member states at UK expense in other circumstances, e.g. immediately necessary care for temporary visitors. Numbers of treatments so provided are not available but the Under-Secretary of State for Health, my hon. Friend the Member for Pontefract and Castleford (Yvette Cooper), gave information on costs in her reply to the hon. Member for Woodspring (Dr. Fox) on 25 February 2002, Official Report, column 966W.

Correspondence

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when the hon. Member for Leominster (Mr. Wiggin) will receive a response to his letter of 24 January, about the distribution of funds raised from the sale of surplus hospital sites.

Hazel Blears: The Department has no record of receiving this correspondence. The Department's ministerial correspondence unit has contacted the hon. Member's office for a copy of this correspondence.

Correspondence

Simon Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he will reply to the letter of 24 October 2001 from the hon. Member for West Chelmsford (Mr. Burns) concerning Mr. Stubbins and pneumococcal vaccination (ref: POH (3)5499/13); when he received (a) a second copy of the correspondence which was faxed to his Department on 17 January and (b) a reminder letter which was sent to his Department on 28 March; and if he will make a statement as to the cause of the delay.

Yvette Cooper: A reply was sent on 15 May. In my letter to the hon. Member, I apologised for the delay in responding. The delay was affected by clarification that I had asked from officials on the timing of consideration by the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation.

Criminal Offences

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many criminal offences have been (a) created and (b) abolished by his Department since 1997.

Hazel Blears: In relation to countering fraud in the national health service, section 39 of the Health Act 1999 introduced a new specific criminal offence for evasion of NHS charges. The offence attracts a fine, on conviction of up to £2,500. This is the first time that legislation has been introduced to create a criminal offence for people who fail to pay any amount in respect of NHS charges or receive a payment or benefit towards the cost of NHS charges or services to which they are not entitled.
	No offences in relation to countering fraud in the NHS have been abolished.

Hepatitis C

Tim Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients received drug therapy on the NHS for infection with hepatitis C in each of the last five years.

Yvette Cooper: The Department does not hold information centrally on the number of patients who have received treatment for hepatitis C infection.

Care Homes

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research he has commissioned into the (a) short, (b) medium and (c) long-term future of (i) the residential care home sector, (ii) the nursing home sector and (iii) dual registered care homes.

Jacqui Smith: The Department has commissioned the personal social services research unit to carry out research into the future of the care home sector. Emerging findings from this work can be found on the website of the University of Kent at Canterbury (www.ukc.ac.uk/ PSSRU).

Anti-psychotic Drugs

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the oral statement by the Secretary of State for Health of 13 February 2002, Official Report, column 112WH, if he has completed consideration of research on anti-psychotic drugs in different care settings and the recommendation to ask the National Institute for Clinical Excellence to produce guidance on the use of such drugs for older people.

Jacqui Smith: Outline proposals for research to support the development of the national service framework for older people and older people's treatment and care, including research proposals on prescribing of anti-psychotic medication, were received in March 2002. Those proposals are currently being short-listed prior to a call for full research proposals being requested. These will be peer reviewed before final decisions which are expected later this year.
	Consideration is still being given to the inclusion of a clinical guideline on the management of dementia, including the use of anti-psychotic medication in older people within the National Institute for Clinical Excellence's work programme.

Children's Diets

Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what recent research his Department has carried out into potential links between ADHD in children and food supplements, food colouring and mineral deficiencies;
	(2)  what recent research his Department has carried out into potential links between behavioural problems among children at school and food supplements, food colouring and mineral deficiencies.

Yvette Cooper: This is a matter for the Food Standards Agency (FSA). The FSA is aware of consumers' concerns about the possible effects of colours and other additives in food on some children. The FSA spends about £800,000 a year looking at the general area of food intolerance. This includes a project on food additives and child behaviour that has been submitted for publication and is currently undergoing peer review. In July 2000, the Independent Expert Committee, the committee on toxicity which advises the FSA, published its review of the scientific evidence on adverse reactions to food. It concluded that most adverse reactions are to natural foods rather than synthetic additives. It noted that there has been weak but conflicting evidence for an association between particular food additives and a specific condition known as attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children. The committee concluded that in general
	"some dietary changes, not necessarily the same for all children, could reduce problem behaviour in at least a few children with ADHD".
	Independent experts agree that the link between food additives and adverse effects on behaviour is not conclusive and that a lot more research is required in this area. The FSA will review new information on the subject of ADHD and any links it may have with food supplements, food colouring and mineral deficiencies.

Children's Diets

Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many children were diagnosed with ADHD in each of the past 10 years.

Jacqui Smith: The information requested is not collected centrally. The prevalence of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder of all types is estimated at around 5 per cent. of school-aged children, approximately 345,000 six to 16-year-olds in England.

General Practitioners

Andrew Hunter: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if it is his policy under the Government's new proposals for out-of-hours medical cover that general practitioners will be able to conduct their own out-of-hours cover if they so wish.

John Hutton: Yes.

Temporary Staff

Kevin McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the cost to his Department was of employing staff in (a) London and (b) the south east from employment agencies in each year since 1997.

Hazel Blears: The table shows the cost of employing agency staff in the Department. The figures are for the total spend for each financial year as we are unable to extract the London and south east spend from the total.
	
		£ 
		
			  Contract/agency staff Labour supply contract 
		
		
			 2001–02 6,596,040.33 576,360.04 
			 2000–01 5,524,667.11 640,851.49 
			 1999–00 6,811,808.23 558,832.73 
			 1998–99 6,198,276.97 430,882.97 
			 1997–98 1,726,246.57 492,827.22

Mobile Phone Masts

Mark Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he will next consider proposals for research projects on mobile phone masts.

Yvette Cooper: The independent expert group on mobile phones (the Stewart Group) was set up to investigate the public health implications of mobile phone technologies. Their report was published in May 2000 and included a recommendation to set up a substantial research programme. This programme, jointly funded by government and industry, was announced in December 2000 and was launched at a public meeting in February 2001. The research is being undertaken under the direction of an independent programme management committee under the chairmanship of Sir William Stewart. The selection and management of studies is solely in the hands of this committee with additional scientific advice from other experts in the relevant field.
	There have been two invitations for research applications, in February and December 2001, and research is now under way in the first tranche of projects. Details of this research are given on the mobile telecommunications health research programme's (MTHR) website at www.mthr.org.uk Shortlisted proposals submitted to the second invitation are currently under consideration by the programme management committee.
	The aim of the second call was to extend the range of research being carried out under the aegis of the MTHR programme and some of the proposals are of direct relevance to exposures to radio frequency (RF) radiation from mobile phone masts. However the emphasis of the research, both funded and submitted, has been on mobile phone handsets rather than masts because localised exposures of people using phones are in general appreciably higher than exposures to the whole body from masts. In practice many of the experimental studies on hand sets will also be valuable in providing evidence on any possible effects on people of exposures to RF radiation from masts.

Anglo-Italian Meetings

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Health on how many occasions in the last six months (a) he and (b) his officials have met their Italian counterparts; and what subjects were discussed.

Hazel Blears: There have been no such meetings with Ministers or any record of meetings with officials.

Shellfish Hygiene

Richard Younger-Ross: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to meet the European Commission's Health and Consumer Protection Directorate when it visits the United Kingdom to discuss shellfish hygiene.

Yvette Cooper: I have no plans to meet the inspection team. Officials of the Food Standards Agency will co-ordinate the visit.

Mount Vernon Hospital

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what plans he has to establish a diagnostic and treatment centre at Mount Vernon Hospital;
	(2)  what plans he has to modernise the (a) in-patient and (b) out-patient facilities at Mount Vernon Hospital;
	(3)  what plans he has to develop new services at the Mount Vernon Hospital site.

John Hutton: The Hillingdon Hospital Trust has recently submitted a strategic outline case for modernising the Mount Vernon site to the Directorate of Health and Social Care—London for London and the case is currently under evaluation. The development would provide a new ambulatory diagnostic and treatment centre with strong community links. In planning the diagnostic and treatment centre, the trust aims to work with Hillingdon Primary Care Trust in order to determine what additional services could be provided on the site but as yet these have not been firmly established.

Committee Mandates

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the mandate of the Advisory Committee on Medical Devices is; how many times it has met over the last 12 months; what the UK representation on it is; what the annual cost of its work is to public funds; if he will list the items currently under its consideration; if he will take steps to increase its accountability and transparency to Parliament; and if he will make a statement.

Hazel Blears: The terms of reference of the committee on the safety of devices (CSD) is
	"To give advice on a wide range of device-related initiatives in order to support the work of Ministers and the Medical Devices Agency (MDA) and in particular the agency's objectives in helping health care professionals deliver high standards of care to patients in relation to medical devices".
	The committee has met three times since it was established in April 2001, consisting of:
	Mr. John Williams OBE, Chairman, Consultant Maxillofacial Surgeon, St Richard's Hospital, Chichester
	Professor Peter Bell, Professor of Surgery, University of Leicester
	Dr. Anna-Maria Belli, Consultant Radiologist, St George's Hospital, Tooting
	Mr. Peter Burdett-Smith, Consultant Emergency Physician, Royal Liverpool University Hospital
	Dr. Thomas Clutton-Brock, Senior Lecturer in Anaesthesia and Intensive Care, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Birmingham
	Mrs. Gurdashan Gill, Lay Member, Wolverhamptom
	Dr. Helen Grant, University Lecturer, Bioengineering Unit, Strathclyde University, Glasgow
	Ms Karen Harper, Nurse Manager, Birmingham Children's Hospital
	Dr. Julie Kent, Lay Member, Bath
	Dr. Imad Al-Khawaja, Consultant in Rehabilitation Medicine, Sussex Rehabilitation Centre
	Mrs. Maxine Kinder, Practice Nurse Manager, Queensway Surgery, Southend-on-Sea
	Dr. Julian Minns, Consultant Clinical Scientist, Dryburn Hospital, Durham
	Professor James Nixon, Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery, Queen's University, Belfast
	Mr. Peter O'Donovan, Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist, Bradford Royal Infirmary
	Dr. John Perrins, Consultant Cardiologist, Leeds General Infirmary
	Dr. Geoffrey Ridgway, Consultant Microbiologist, University College London Hospitals
	Professor Elizabeth Russell CBE, Emeritus Professor of Social Medicine, University of Aberdeen
	Dr. Charles Sears, General Practitioner, Grove House Surgery, Wiltshire
	Professor David Sharpe, Professor of Plastic Surgery, University of Bradford
	Mr. Arvind Singh, Consultant Eye Surgeon and Clinical Director, Ayr Hospital
	Miss Carol Stopp, Senior Nurse, Great Ormond Street, London
	Dr. Gary Thorpe, Biochemistry Director, Wolfson Applied Technology Laboratory, University of Birmingham
	Dr. John Turney, Consultant Physician, Leeds General Infirmary
	Mr. David Watkins, Dental Practitioner, Norfolk
	Professor David Whitney, Chief Executive of Central Sheffield University Hospital Trust.
	Observers from the devolved administrations also attend the meetings.
	Items which have been considered are included in the minutes of the CSD meetings which are held on the Medical Devices Agency's website www.medical- devices.gov.uk.
	Two sub-committees have been established. One to consider the format and content of MDA's advisory notices. The other to audit MDA's clinical investigation system. There is also a series of liaison meetings with the Association for British Health Care Industries.
	Members are paid travel and subsistence expenses only. The total cost of these since the Committee's establishment is £10,208.35
	An annual report of the committee's work will be included in the annual report and accounts of the MDA, which will be presented to Parliament. To comply with the Freedom of Information Act a CSD publication scheme will be in place by November 2002. This will be available on MDA's web-site.